Falling Into You
by Jewels12
Summary: She was exhausted and hiding it. He knew better. An incident at the diner leads to an overwhelming 'town effort.' The location: The Dragonfly Inn.
1. All Work And No Play

Disclaimer: It's all Amy etc.

Author's Note: This story takes place a few weeks prior to the Dragonfly Inn's grand opening. Luke hasn't invested and/or loaned any money toward the enterprising business and he and Lorelai are just friends. Oh, and Jason is very much out of the picture – you can all breathe a sigh of relief now!

On a side note, the word hijinx is quite marvelous, isn't it though? With three dotted letters…three! I truly enjoy writing it, but saying it brings a pleasure beyond compare! If I can, I'll try to include that word in this chapter. OK – here's a game for everyone! Think of a word, funny, weird, _dirty_, etc…and I will choose one lucky word to include in each chapter! It's all about interaction!

Now, without further ado, let us begin our journey…

He could tell from the moment she stepped foot into his diner, that something wasn't right. Her expression was clouded, her vivacity cooled. Her ensemble seemed infinitely similar to the one from the previous day. This couldn't be blamed on a wardrobe malfunction. He watched as she took a seat next to the window and exhaled to her lungs capacity.

She glanced at him sideways, smiling warmly, pleading with her eyes for his liquid serenity. His coffee could drown out the world, at least for a little while.

"You alright?" Luke casually asked as he poured the steaming brew into her awaiting mug.

"Nothing a little caffeine can't cure," Lorelai shrugged off his concern with her usual remedy; humor.

"There's nothing _little _about the amount of caffeine you consume in a day," he smugly replied.

"And your business is booming because of it," she smartly returned. "Now shoo," she gestured with her arm, "let me have some peace."

Luke grunted in response and trudged back to his habitat behind the counter. He knew Lorelai better than she often gave him credit for. He could see right through her suit of armor.

Lorelai sat in silence for the best part of an hour, solemnly sipping on her wonder drug, eyes glued to the window. It was early evening and the streets were filled with Star's Hollow's finest, most likely on their way to Luke's for a bite to eat and a nightly dose of gossip.

The usual townies started slipping in around 5pm. Miss Patty, Babette and Morey, Gypsy. Sookie and Jackson were frequent nightly visitors. Perhaps feelings of nostalgia from their first date were motivation enough. And then there was Kirk. Kirk never really left the diner, except at bedtime of course. Mother was strict about that. Luke rounded the counter, coffee pot in hand. No wonder the whole town was crazy, he thought. They were all caffeine junkies.

Lorelai continued to stare out the window as Luke approached her table. "So, this is where you turn to me and at least acknowledge my presence," Luke grumbled as he topped up her cup.

His voice startled her. "I didn't ask for more coffee," she wasn't upset. She turned to face him.

"Merry Christmas. It wont happen again."

She laughed at that. "You know, this is probably the last place I should be right now," finally, she was opening up to him. "I have a million and one things to do…I just can't shut my mind off. It hurts to think. It hurts to drink. I've been milking this cup of coffee for an hour."

"I noticed," Luke agreed. "And I suppose food is out of the question?"

"I'm too tired to eat. Unless _you_ feed me," she smiled naughtily.

"Now that's going beyond the proprietor/customer relationship, wouldn't you say?"

"But I'm hungry," she pouted. Truth be told, Lorelai hadn't been keeping up with appearances at the diner in the last few weeks. Preparations for the Inn were undoubtedly taking their toll. There was still so very much to do. Tom and the boys had fallen behind schedule and the back-up funds had all but dwindled away. She needed help.

"Then eat," he was firm.

"But I'm too tired to eat," she echoed.

"You're working too hard." He watched as her shoulders tensed.

She sighed. How did he always know? "Well, someone's got to. The Dragonfly is set to open in two weeks, and we don't even have paint on some of the walls. The doors have mysteriously disappeared and so has Tom's working crew. I know they're tired…hell, I'm tired too, but we have a schedule to adhere to and I'll be damned if we're late!" she was shouting to the entire diner now.

Sookie immediately rushed over to comfort her shaken friend and business partner. Luke looked on with sympathy. He had never before seen Lorelai this run-down, this overwrought. She wasn't as invincible as he'd once imagined, that revelation perhaps hit him the hardest.

"It's ok. I'm fine, just a minor freak-out. It won't happen again," she smiled bravely through her tears. Sookie hugged her tighter.

"Lorelai, honey – we're gonna make this work. Whatever it takes, we'll make this work," Sookie assured her.

Lorelai lowered her voice, so only Sookie and Luke could hear, "But what about the money Sookie? We're down to our last dollar. Tom's crew isn't going to work for free."

Sookie knew as well as Lorelai that they were in trouble. She needed to be strong right now – for the both of them. "We'll figure it out Lorelai. First things first, we need to get you home so you can rest. You've been running yourself to the ground for weeks. C'mon, Jackson and I will drive you home." Sookie reached for Lorelai's arm.

"Sook, it's a nice night. I can walk. But thanks for the offer. You go and relax with Jackson, enjoy yourselves. I'll be fine."

"Promise me you'll rest?"

"I'll rest."

Sookie nodded affectionately and returned to her table. The affairs of the Dragonfly Inn had long since been forgotten. Now the topic of discussion was the name of Kirk's underground band, "The Stars Hollow Hijinx."

Morey chimed in on that one. "That name is not cool. It lacks mystique."

"What instrument do you play Kirk?" Gypsy was infinitely curious…or was it skeptical?

"Uh, I play the tambourine," he begrudgingly admitted.

Everyone laughed.

Lorelai grabbed her purse and began to rise from her table. Luke, who'd been quietly observing her entire conversation with Sookie, finally felt the need to interject, "Who are you trying to fool?" he accused Lorelai.

"Excuse me?" she replied defensively.

"I know damn well you're not going home to rest. Why are you doing this to yourself?" Luke wasn't letting her go without a fight.

"You don't know anything," she put some change on the table. "There, I've paid, now I'm entitled to leave." He grabbed her arm. "Luke, what is your problem?" she shouted.

Now all focus had once more returned to Lorelai. Kirk's musical prowess would have to wait.

Luke sighed in defeat, releasing his hold on her, "At least eat something before you leave," he reasoned.

She rolled her eyes, "I'll take a doughnut…to go."

Luke walked towards the glass enclosure and removed the largest doughnut he could find. He wrapped it in a paper bag and turned around, just in time…

Lorelai took one step from her table, wobbled slightly and gripped the chair for support. She felt dizzy, weak, nauseas. Luke watched in alarm as she attempted to take another fatiguing step. He ran to her side and she collapsed into his arms.

To Be Continued…

Don't forget about the Word Game!


	2. Talk About Sex

Thanks a bunch for the reviews gang! I'm incredibly overwhelmed and hungry for more! I love all the words you've suggested for the Word Game. You'll have to wait and see which one I've chosen for this chapter. Keep suggesting words as they pop into your lovely heads and the game shall increase in its pleasure! One thing I forgot to mention is the fact that along with 'Digger,' Nicole is very much out of the picture as well. Woohoo!

Shall we then?

Every face was plastered with shock. Luke seemed to be the only levelheaded one in the bunch. He needed to be. As he placed Lorelai's fragile body ever so delicately on the chair before them, he instructed Sookie to obtain a cool cloth. Meanwhile, Babette fetched a glass of water and Patty stood and fanned Lorelai's flushed face. The others watched the scene unfold.

"Lorelai, talk to me," Luke pleaded.

"Yeah?" she barely uttered.

"How are you feeling?" Luke was certainly shaken.

"Uh, I'm a little dizzy actually." She reached for the glass of water Babette was holding.

"Here doll, I'll help you with that," Babette held the glass to her mouth and Lorelai took several large gulps. Sookie adeptly patted her face with the cloth and Patty's arm grew tired of fanning so devotedly.

"I, I don't know what came over me. I just lost my balance I guess. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle any of you," Lorelai apologized.

"I'll tell you what came over you," Luke snapped. "Your body has finally responded to the lack of fuel you're giving it – that's what came over you!" He was frustrated, understandably so.

His tone was unexpected and infinitely unwelcome. "Who the hell are you to tell me what I'm feeling? I'm perfectly fine. I just had a little vertigo – that's it. Now you can all sleep at night!" Lorelai snapped back.

"You must think I'm a fool…and I would be if I believed you!" Luke retorted.

"You know what? I've had enough of your badgering for one evening," Lorelai pushed Sookie's cloth away and rose to her feet, "I have things to do, now if you'll excuse me…"

That was most certainly the last straw. Luke stepped in and swept Lorelai right off her feet, clinging her protesting form tightly to his chest. He had a very determined look in his eyes.

"What are you doing?" she screamed.

"Something I should have done a long time ago," he responded without missing a beat. He carried her towards the staircase, past the myriad of stunned expressions. And they disappeared out of sight, although Lorelai's disputing wails could be heard five counties away.

Once Luke's apartment door slammed shut, the wailing receded and the chatting commenced.

"Are they going to have sex?" Kirk spoke first, naturally.

"What's he sayin?" Babette inquired.

"Because it's too early in the day for sex." Kirk unnecessarily added.

"It's never too early for sex!" Patty cooed.

"Sex leads to fatigue, and Lorelai is already physically exhausted. I know when Lulu and I are finished the act, I'm down for the count." Kirk's social skills were as good as ever.

"Good god Kirk, quit talking about your sex life…in fact, just stop talking period." Jackson quipped.

"But Luke did have a certain look in his eyes," Sookie admitted. She was a hopeless romantic.

Patty smiled saucily, "I don't think I've ever been too tired for sex."

Babette nodded in agreement, "Nah, that's against your religion."

Meanwhile, Luke had managed to muffle Lorelai's reservations as he skillfully removed her heals and tucked her snuggly into his bed. She was much too exhausted to refuse his forced hospitality.

He leaned over her relaxed form and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. Lorelai smiled slightly and squeezed his hand with her own. "I'm so sorry Luke," she offered.

"I know. Just get some rest. We'll talk later." He was so good to her. He understood her completely.

Lorelai nodded and closed her eyes briefly. "Hey Luke?" she asked, eyes now open, "why are you so good to me?"

Luke, who had made his way to the kitchen, turned slightly at the sound of her voice.

"Because I…because I care about you," he was being genuine, real.

Lorelai contemplated briefly his answer before responding, "Thanks for caring." She sighed happily and her eyes once more drifted shut.

Luke waited until he was sure Lorelai was sleeping soundly, and quietly removed himself from the apartment. Silence ensued in the diner as Luke entered. He knew better than to ask what they were talking about.

The silence was on the verge of becoming awkward when Patty finally spoke, "Everyone, listen up! I have a wonderful idea!"

The townies tuned in with bated breath.

"I think we should volunteer at the Dragonfly! Do whatever we can to get that place ready for business. Who's with me?" Patty was a facilitator to the core.

The proposition seemed to inspire the crowd.

"Oh, I can look after the wood! I love lumber!" Kirk shrieked with delight. "And Lulu can look after the horses. She's crazy about horses! She sometimes calls me her wild stal…"

Luke graciously interrupted, "For the love of god Kirk, stop now!"

As the laughter died down, Babette piped up, "I can sew pillows! I've got a mean stitch!" she beamed.

"I've got the grounds-duty covered," Jackson stated with pride.

"I'll finalize our meal plans and whip up some food for all you hungry volunteers!" Sookie giggled with excitement.

"I can look after the door installation and any electrical problems," Luke modestly offered.

"Not without my help," Gypsy warned. She was indeed a handy-woman, bossy too.

"All right, the rest of us are on paint/clean-up duty," Patty instructed.

The smiles in the room were contagious.

Patty was thrilled by the overwhelming response, "So it's settled then. We'll meet bright and early on Saturday morning." Heads nodded in agreement.

With parting grins and contented sighs, the happy volunteers exited the diner in an orderly fashion. Funny that Luke never even turned the stove on. If it was possible, everyone was entirely too cheerful to eat!

Luke attended to his closing chores, reveling in the warmth and generosity of the townsfolk that he'd grown to love over the years…although he'd never admit it. He left a pot of coffee on, and returned upstairs to his sleeping patient.

To Be Continued…

Keep the Words coming!


	3. All Play And No Work

Hey folks! Thanks again for the flurry of reviews! For those interested, the secret word from the last chapter was "awkward" and was provided to us by the one and only: Bambi McBimbo! Who will be the next lucky winner! I can hardly contain my excitement! You will find the next word hidden near the end of this glorious chapter!

Read On!

At 9pm Lorelai began to stir. The gurgling in her stomach was causing slight tremors in the apartment. Luke had taken to the stove in anticipation. He praised himself for having made that extra trip to Doose's. A Gilmore's hunger was not to be toyed with.

The pleasant aromas filled Lorelai's nostrils and she sighed happily, stretching her limbs across the bed.

Luke glanced downward and caught her gleeful expression, "Hungry?" he asked.

"Mmhm," she grinned, "very."

"Well, dinner's almost ready. It's pot roast," Luke contentedly replied. "One of my mom's old recipes," he added.

"Smells wonderful," she spoke sincerely.

"You can wash up if you'd like. There're extra towels under the sink." Luke did not often house company. This whole 'arrangement' was making him slightly uneasy.

"Oh, ok. Thanks. I'll just be a sec." Lorelai was surprised by Luke's hospitality. She slowly climbed from bed and drifted into the bathroom. Her clothes were rather wrinkled, yet her disposition had improved ten fold.

She exited the bathroom a few minutes later, refreshed and ravenous. Dinner had been placed on the table. Modest plates, cutlery and napkins sat atop the tropical fish-decorated placemats. A gift, Luke assured her.

"Did you have a good sleep?" Luke asked as he spooned a generous helping of pot roast and all the fixings onto Lorelai's plate.

The look on her face indicated to Luke that her helping wasn't quite generous enough. "An amazing sleep."

Luke rolled his eyes in disgust as he filled her plate to capacity. "Maybe you should try it first, you know – before you decide to eat my portion too. You might not even like it." Luke knew that possibility was entirely out of the question.

"Oh Luke, you know my affection for meat. We have this connection. It's like a part of me." She took a bite and her head flew back in a fit of bliss. "Your mother is officially my hero."

"I'll send god a telegram," he teased.

"You can do that?" she poked back. "Oh, oh - ask him how Gran liked the underwear I picked out for her!" And the giggling commenced.

"Aw geez," Luke groused in protest, "Just eat your food."

"Seriously though, this food is delicious," she smiled gratefully.

"Good," Luke smiled back.

The two friends tended to their plates in comfortable silence. Perhaps Lorelai's eyes were a fraction bigger than her stomach, but she was a fighter.

"Thank you for doing this Luke," she began.

Her voice shook him from his peaceful reverie. "Uh, doing what?"

"All of this. Everything. For, for…" she couldn't find the words.

"Kidnapping you," he supplied lightheartedly.

She laughed. "I was going to say rescuing me – but yeah, kidnapping works." Her smile was contagious. "So, thank you for kidnapping me," she winked playfully at him.

"Anytime," he winked right back. A little flirtation never hurt anyone.

Their eyes lingered on one another for a tad too long. Luke nervously cleared his throat and attempted to distract himself by removing the empty plates from the table. There was undeniably electricity in the air. Lorelai felt it too and it gave her goose bumps.

"I'll help you with that," she offered. Lorelai stood and gathered their empty bottles. They were drinking beer of course, a Danes' house special.

"Lorelai, you don't have to, I mean - I've got it covered. You're here as a guest. I just want you to relax."

"But Luke, I want to help. I can't just sit around and do nothing. Please let me help?" Her pouty lips were enough to make him weak in the knees, or at the very least succumb to her request.

"Fine. I'll wash, you dry." He preferred washing anyway.

"Deal," she beamed. All tension had left the building.

The clattering of dishes and sputtering of soapsuds provided the soundtrack to an eventful evening.

"So…is the diner closed?" Lorelai asked out of the blue.

"Yep. Why?" He most definitely knew why she was asking.

"It is? Where did everyone go?" She knew that he knew.

"They went wherever they went. What does it matter?"

"Well how did you get rid of them?" She was curious. Dish drying could only entertain for so long.

Luke was becoming rather agitated. "They just left, ok? And not one of them ordered a damn thing." That reality bothered him still. He did run a business you know.

"That's odd…very odd indeed," she pondered for a moment. "What kind of shenanigans are they up to now?"

Luke thought it best to change the subject. "You asked if the diner was closed?"

"Yes." Lorelai was distracted. Mission accomplished.

"And what is it that you wanted from the diner?" He wanted her to spell it out for him.

"You know what I want," she spoke almost seductively. Coffee had that effect on her. Yes, coffee.

"I'm not sure that I do." Torture. This was torture.

"Then let me refresh your memory," Lorelai instinctively splashed soapy water in Luke's direction.

"Hey!" he shouted, wiping his face on his sleeve. "You're going to get it now!" he threatened.

Lorelai shrieked with laughter as she bolted to the other side of the room. "No Luke! Please don't! I'm so sorry!" she pleaded between giggles.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the scene before him. He grabbed the nearest glass and filled it with water, then stomped toward Lorelai. She was cornered in seconds, and loving every minute of it. "Let me refresh your memory," he mocked. Grabbing her arm he raised the glass and emptied half it's contents onto her head.

"Aaaah!" she yelped. "That's freezing!"

Before Luke could garner any sympathy for her, she had swiped the glass from his grip and poured the remainder of liquid down his shirt.

"Lorelai!" he boomed, shaking his shirt to relieve some of the moisture.

She slowly backed away, her grin spreading wider and wider. He slowly inched forward, holding her gaze with his own. Her pace quickened; his pace quickened. He reached for her. Her heal made contact with the bedpost, and they stumbled…

To Be Continued

Remember The Word Game!


	4. Walking On Broken Glass

Hello to all my adoring fans! Thanks very much for reviewing so enthusiastically! I truly appreciate it! And many thanks to 'Franala' for providing us with the word "shenanigans" in the last chapter. Which word or word(s) will I choose next? The anticipation is killing me!

Enjoy my friends, enjoy!

The glass broke.

They collapsed inelegantly onto the bed. Luke hovered above her, breathing heavily. Immense heat exuded from their bodies. She trembled beneath his fiery gaze. She finally understood.

Seconds passed, seconds of indefatigable silence. Lorelai closed her eyes briefly, breaking their intense connection.

"Lorelai?" Luke gently inquired.

Her eyelids fluttered open. "I uh, hope you didn't like that glass too much," she joked. Humor was familiar, god how she needed familiar right now.

Luke's brow creased. "No," he began, "I loved it." There was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Lorelai's mouth twitched, but she held strong. Another twitch. The laughter was threatening to spill over. She couldn't possibly hold it in any longer. Her body shook, the full-fledged giggling ensued.

Luke couldn't help but follow suit. He laughed until his body hurt, extinguishing any doubts that he didn't have it in him. He collapsed beside her on the bed, their breathing returning to normal.

"I'll have to remember to buy you a set of those glasses for Christmas," Lorelai teased. She was comfortable. That invisible security blanket had wrapped itself around her once more.

He turned to face her. "Keep the receipt," he warned.

Lorelai grinned. Pushing her head deeper into the pillow, she yawned. "So I guess we should clean up the glass, huh?"

"_We_?' Luke questioned. "You were the one who dropped it!" he slyly remarked.

Lorelai immediately sat up. "It's your fault I dropped it!" she countered.

Luke mirrored her position. "Who tripped over the bed?"

"Well if you hadn't cornered me, then I wouldn't have tripped!" she barked.

"If you hadn't splashed me in the face…then we wouldn't be having this conversation!" he reasoned.

Lorelai sighed in defeat. "But it was fun, wasn't it?"

Luke smirked, "You bet." The giddy smile on Lorelai's face indicated her satisfaction with his answer. He rose from the bed. "You stay put. I'll take care of the glass."

Her mouth opened in shock, "Then what was that whole argument about?"

"I just wanted you to accept the blame." He walked toward kitchen, a smile plastered to his face.

She rolled her eyes in utter annoyance. Luke had one-upped her and she was none too pleased.

Such a strange series of events had taken place here this evening. It was all so surreal, so dreamlike. Lorelai felt different. Things had changed. She was scared and exhilarated and completely uncertain of how to proceed. Life was precarious indeed.

Luke soon returned with the necessary tools to remove the glass. He knelt down, working silently, unaware of the eyes that were focussed on his every movement.

"Hey Luke?" she began, "um, how long are you planning on keeping me prisoner here?"

He muffled a laugh. "Is there someplace else you'd rather be?" he poked.

She was caught off guard, "I uh, well, no - not really. I just wondered if perhaps…you might have a timeframe…or something."

He loved to see her squirm. "This wasn't a premeditated kidnapping Lorelai. I don't have an itinerary if that's what you mean."

He was being difficult. She forced a smile. "Tomorrow is Saturday." It was a statement rather than a question.

"Yes," he concurred.

"I need to be at the Inn tomorrow. There are some shipments being delivered." She seemed to be thinking out loud.

"Ok." Where was she going with this?

"And I'm going to have to be there super early to receive said shipments."

He grunted exasperatedly. "What are you getting at Lorelai?" It was like pulling teeth.

"Well, maybe I should go there now so I can…"

"No," he interrupted.

"But I," she started.

"Out of the question," he finished.

"Ok. But can't I just…"

"Impossible," he muttered.

"What is?" she wondered.

"You are!" he abruptly clarified.

She was quiet for a moment. "Fine, you win," she relinquished. "But I'm taking the bed!"

He smiled, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Good," she grinned. Relaxing her head back on the pillows, she rolled onto her side, facing away from him. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.

He watched her body relax, breathing becoming softer. Convinced that she had entered the subconscious realm, he cleared the remainder of glass and safely discarded it. Next, he tended to his personal hygiene needs. He made up his sofa bed while brushing his teeth – a firm believer in multitasking. And he too collapsed into dreamland.

They needed their sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long and exciting day!

The moon was full, the air warm and light. It was a night for dreaming. Lorelai dreamt of wonderful things: cream coloured ponies and crisp apple strudels.

Luke dreamt of manly things: baseball games and carpentry classes. He slept right through his alarm. Perhaps his dream about winning a shopping spree at the Home Depot was the culprit. Nevertheless, he rose at an early hour still, with an overwhelming urge to build something. He rubbed his aching neck, and headed towards the bathroom.

Lorelai slept soundly still. Her dreams now filled with a certain flannel-wearing diner man…and coffee, always coffee.

As Luke exited the bathroom, he noticed a smile draped across Lorelai's face. He laughed inwardly, wondering how unparalleled her dreams were to his. He thought it best to start on breakfast.

The sounds of eggs cracking and bacon frying were better than any alarm clock ever could be. Lorelai awoke with a start. She was positively famished and raring to go. Sliding out of bed, she crept silently behind Luke and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Good morning Vietnam!"

Luke nearly flung the eggs out the window in sheer panic. He turned to her. "What the hell was that?" His face was red with fury. Well, it might have been embarrassment.

Lorelai was laughing hysterically. "J-Just making s-sure you…were…awake!" she struggled to finish, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Luke shook his head in frustration, "You're damn right I'm awake!"

Giggling.

"You almost gave me a heart attack!" he barked.

More giggling.

"You almost lost your eggs!" That was the dagger.

And the giggling stopped. "Yeah, you're right. Too far?" Lorelai took her food very seriously.

"You were lucky this time." His tone softened.

"You did well. Reflexes like a cat," she teased.

"Just eat it," he quipped, placing a massive plate on the table for her.

"Where were you when NIKE was deciding on a slogan?" She couldn't stop now; she was on a roll.

Luke grumbled a response and continued with his own breakfast, minus the egg yolks and the bacon of course. They needed their strength. Today was the big day. Today was D-Day!

To Be Continued

Show Me The Words!


	5. Underwear Scare

Hey gang!

Thanks so much for the feedback! This story is becoming quite quirky and I'm loving every minute of it! I especially enjoyed including the word 'flung' in my last chapter – another personal favourite. A special thanks to 'GilmoreatHeart74' for supplying the word "indefatigable" in the last chapter. A re-nomination always works! Get ready for some fun times folks! This chapter is a doozie!

Enjoy –

Upon finishing breakfast, Luke promptly assumed dish-duty. Lorelai thought it best to allow him sole-responsibility this time around. She instead jumped in the shower, thus commencing the beautification process. Her hair required extra attention having been slept on wet. Not quite reaching the volume of 'sex hair,' but most certainly on the verge. Luke hadn't failed to notice.

As she bathed, Mr. Danes put away the last of the dishes and made up the beds. He needed something to keep him busy. The diner was going to be closed for the entire day; his regular customers had a prior engagement. Yes, today was D-Day, (Dragonfly Inn Day) to be specific. It was a day for details, decorations and door installations. There were D's all around. How delightful indeed.

Lorelai dried off, slapping some Vaseline on her skin, the only thing resembling cream at the Danes' residence. Sliding her desperately worn-out clothing on once more, she wrapped a towel around her head and exited the bathroom.

Luke greeted her with a rather anxious expression. She followed his eager eyes to the bed where he had neatly laid out fresh clothing and essential toiletry items. Or so he presumed.

"Luke, where did you get these things?" She was puzzled, yet pleased.

"Your house," he stated plainly.

"My house?" she regurgitated.

"Yes."

Her curiosity was running wild. "But…how?"

"I broke in." Naturally.

"When?"

"You do realize that you were in the shower for over 30 minutes?" He didn't even want to think about the electricity bill.

"I was having some hair issues. It was doing this weird flippy thing. I don't usually take that long."

"Uh huh." He wasn't buying.

She chose to ignore him, returning her attention to the objects on the bed. He had done well. Very well. His intimate knowledge regarding her was both frightening and impassioning. Her favourite jeans, two light-coloured tank tops, a cotton sweater and pyjamas were at her disposal. Her make-up bag, hairdryer hairbrush and toothbrush sat in a neat pile off to the side. Deodorant and body cream were in a separate pile. The man was a miracle worker. There was one thing however that was noticeably missing.

"Well Luke, this was so wonderfully thoughtful of you. But, you uh, kinda forgot one thing," she felt uncomfortable saying it.

He was surprised. "Oh, really? What?"

Her face reddened slightly. "Um – underwear." This was awkward.

"Underwear?" he clarified.

"Yep, underwear. You know, the stuff you wear _under_ your clothes." Her tone was playful.

He rolled his eyes. "I brought you underwear Lorelai."

"You did?" This time she wasn't buying.

He walked towards the closet and pulled out a long, wooden, rectangular-shaped…oh dear god. What did he do now? He abruptly dropped Lorelai's _entire_ underwear drawer on the bed.

His perplexing gesture elicited a laugh comparable to the one from earlier that morning, following her 'Robin Williams' impression. "What did you do?" she barely managed to enquire between giggles.

"I didn't exactly feel comfortable going through your underwear drawer…so I brought your underwear drawer to you." It really was a sweet concept. The word bizarre also came to mind.

She laughed still. "Just when I think I've figured you out…"

"I like to keep you on your toes," he smiled.

"And you do. You do," she returned his affection.

They were doing it again. The smiling thing had become infectious.

Luke needed some air. "Uh, I think I'm gonna hop in the shower quick." Water was good too...cold water. "Um, make yourself at home. There's hot coffee downstairs."

"Perfect. Thanks," she beamed.

He nodded and hurried into the bathroom, hitting his elbow on the door, "Damn door!" he shouted.

Lorelai laughed again. Gosh, she'd been doing that a lot lately. Once she heard the water running, she began rummaging through her unmentionables. Selecting her black lace bra and panties (her personal favourites,) she stripped down and went to work. Standing there naked, in Luke's apartment, was slightly arousing and entirely inappropriate. She giggled naughtily, wondering if there was a hidden camera capturing her rare essence. After applying a more suitable moisturizer, she dabbed some deodorant, shimmied into her jeans and pulled a pink tank top over her head. Ready for phase two: makeup.

It was about 9am, and the internal clock in Lorelai's lovely little body was ticking madly, begging for its caffeine fix. She walked confidently through the door of Luke's apartment, down the stairs and into the abnormally empty diner, marvelling at the lack of activity. Where could everyone be? She had assumed that Cesar would be opening. Taking advantage of her unexpected freedom, she filled (the largest mug she could find) to the very brim, a few times over, and returned upstairs - happy as a clam.

Luke was fully dressed and zest-fully clean. He was more than ready to escort the Inn owner to her place of business.

"Just let me finish my coffee. Then we can go. We needs our coffee. My precious." She was scaring him, and that was one of the few movies he had seen.

"I thought you had to be there super early to receive some shipments," he revisited their previous night's conversation.

"Yeah. This _is_ super early. At least for a Saturday," she reasoned.

"At least for a Gilmore," he countered.

"That too," she agreed, downing the last drop of coffee. "Alright, let's hit the road Jack!"

Lorelai led the way, Luke locked up, and away they went. Once the truck's engine began rattling, so too did Lorelai's tongue.

"So what's with the diner? You run out of food or somethin?" Always with the questions.

Luke internally berated himself for not having anticipated the interrogation. "No. I just figured I'd open for lunch."

"But everyone comes for breakfast on Saturday. Where's Cesar? Why couldn't he open?" Nosey, nosey, nosey.

"Well he…I mean, I – he just…we didn't…will you just let me drive?" he stated sharply. He was becoming quite agitated.

She huffed in disappointment, "Fine. Fine." Something fishy was going on.

Pulling up to the Inn minutes later, her suspicions were undoubtedly confirmed. The Stars Hollow convoy had moved in. There were tents set up and vehicles of all varieties strewn about. Everyone was wearing red shirts that appeared to have the words "D-Day" written on them. Kirk's idea no doubt. It was bedlam!

Lorelai's jaw dropped open in utter disbelief. What fun they were going to have!

To Be Continued…


	6. D Day

Hey Everyone! The time has come for another enthralling chapter! So, I added a couple words of my own last time around (bizarre and bedlam.) They are enjoyable words, wouldn't you say? But this chapter includes a word from one of you lucky readers! How fun!

Now get ready, cause here it comes…

Everyone was milling about, setting out tools and setting up tents. Lorelai's arrival, the woman for whom this day evolved, seemed to have gone by unnoticed by the busy little beavers. You had to give the townies credit though. When they were in, they were ALL IN. Hook line and sinker. Dedication was a way of life in Stars Hollow. Why the hell else were there so many damn festivals?

Lorelai looked to the heavens for assistance. "Oh help," she fruitlessly sighed.

Luke chuckled silently to himself. Not even he could have anticipated the thoroughness of their preparations. He was however, entirely relieved to have been excused from the organization process. He wasn't one for town functions. He really didn't like the word _function_ at all to be frank. But, this was for Lorelai.

"Why are there tents here? There are tents all over the place…and tools, and ladders, and lawnmowers…and Kirk." Lorelai was particularly baffled, "Did you know about this?" she pressed Luke for answers.

Time to fess up kid. "Well yes, and no."

"Which is it?" She was firm.

"I mean, I knew that they were planning on coming here today, but I didn't realize that it would be such a major production. They made t-shirts for god sakes!"

"Yeah. I know. What the hell does D-Day mean anyway?" She thought twice before asking.

Out of nowhere, Patty swiftly interrupted, "Luke! Lorelai! You're here! Everyone, look who's here!" she shrieked with delight. Sneaking away was no longer an option. Patty could smell fear from a mile away.

Kirk came bounding around the corner with two shirts folded under his arm and a grin from ear to ear. "Welcome to D-Day! Dragonfly Inn Day to be exact. I made shirts for the occasion. It helps to commemorate the event. One hundred percent, pre-shrunk cotton – fits like a dream."

"Oh, uh wow Kirk. Thanks." Lorelai politely accepted the gift. She pulled the shirt over her head and smiled. It did fit rather nicely.

"When did you have time to make these?" Luke curiously inquired as he tossed the shirt over his shoulder.

"Why aren't you wearing your shirt?" Kirk probed instead.

"I just asked you a question Kirk," Luke tried again.

"Why aren't you wearing your shirt?" Kirk was shouting now.

"Ok, geez, calm down." Luke slipped the contested garment over his broad shoulders, rolling his eyes in the process. "There, you happy?"

"Yes, thank-you." Kirk nodded in satisfaction.

Babette was the next to join the conversation, sporting her red t-shirt with pride. "How ya doin doll?" she concernedly questioned Lorelai. "Your face has much more colour in it sugar – musta been a good sleep," she winked at Patty.

Lorelai smiled, unaware of the sexual undertones implied in Babette's little speech. "Well, Luke here has taken great care of me," she patted his arm affectionately. He blushed slightly.

"Oh, but of course he has Lorelai," Patty wickedly smirked.

Lorelai forced a laugh, abruptly changing the subject. "So, would someone care to tell me what's going on here?" She still wasn't sure.

"Morey!" Babette screamed. That wasn't exactly the answer Lorelai was searching for. Morey casually strode towards their expanding group, cozying up beside Babette. He was carrying what appeared to be a crate of CD's in front of him. "Hey baby, what took you so long?" questioned Babette.

"I couldn't find that 'Cool Jazz' CD. I thought I put it in the drawer beside the couch, but no dice."

The wheels in Babette's little head were spinning wildly. "Speaking of drawers…" she looked at Morey in anticipation.

"Did you ask him yet?" Morey chimed. He too had a passion for gossip.

"I'm about to," she grinned wickedly. "So Luke, what the hell was in that drawer?"

Luke swallowed. "Uh, what drawer?" His face was an enchanting shade of crimson.

"You know, the one you skilfully removed from Lorelai's house this morning." Damn she was good.

Luke unnecessarily cleared his throat. "Oh, _that_ drawer. Well you see, Lorelai needed…so I went…and then she…" he faltered.

Lorelai fought hard to suppress her laughter, deciding instead to help the struggling man out. "What Luke is trying to say, is that I asked him if he would bring me my drawer of, um – socks, yes, that's it. You see, I really don't like to be away from them. I have a bit of a sock fetish you might say," she smiled wearily at Luke.

"Socks?" Patty repeated.

"Uh huh," Lorelai unpersuasively confirmed.

"I too have a sock fetish. Socks can be a delightful substitute for people. I used to sleep with my sock drawer…before Lulu came along that is," Kirk spoke sincerely.

"Right Kirk, anyway – what's say we get this show on the road!" Patty was ready for some action…of the innocent nature of course.

"What show?" Lorelai continued to press.

The excited chattering drowned out her inquiring pleas. And suddenly, silence. Terrifying silence.

The winds picked up, nipping fiercely at their skin. The earth shook violently as his thundering footsteps lashed against the undergrowth. His teeth were bared, his tongue, poised for attack. "This is an outrage!" he boomed

"This is an insult!" he exploded.

Chills ran down Patty's guilt-ridden spine. "Taylor, calm down!" she reasoned.

"I will not!" he returned. "As we all know, I am the facilitator of Town Events and this is clearly a _Town_ Event!"

"But it wasn't intended to be a 'Town Event' Taylor…it just happened." Patty was treading carefully. By now, everyone had made their way over to witness Taylor's tantrum first hand.

"These things don't 'just happen' my dear! They take weeks, months even, to plan and coordinate! This is an outrage!" he echoed dramatically.

Patty squirmed under his menacing gaze. "But Taylor, we only decided last night. It was purely on a whim. There was hardly any planning at all. In fact, I wouldn't even call it a Town Event."

"It plainly states in article 6.4 of the Town Acts Bylaw, that any affair, consisting of 10 or more persons residing in Stars Hollow, can and/or will be declared as a Town Event, subject to approval by the Town Selectman. And do I or do I not currently hold that title Miss Patty?" His tone was a trifle condescending.

"Yes Taylor," she resigned.

"And are there more than 10 people here?"

"Yes Taylor," Patty agreed.

"Then I've made myself clear."

"Very well Taylor, you've made your point. This _is_ a Town Event. Now if you'll excuse us, we've plenty of work to do." Patty pointed the others towards the tents.

"Um, aren't you forgetting something Patty?" Taylor snidely interrupted.

"What is it now Taylor?" She grew tired of his antics.

"Since we've wisely come to an agreement that this is a Town Event, then you're obviously going to need my approval in order to proceed, aren't you?" He was indeed a megalomaniac.

"But I made shirts!" Kirk screamed.

"Give Taylor one and maybe he'll shut-up," Babette jabbed.

"Give me one and I'll stuff it down his throat," Luke threatened. He never was a big fan of Mr. Doose.

Lorelai laughed at that. So did everyone else.

"People, people – please! I am a reasonable man," there were a few resounding huffs in the crowd. He tried again, "And being a reasonable man, I am willing to allow this Event to proceed…BUT, I want details. And a megaphone."

"All you need to know is that we're doing this for Lorelai," Luke cut in. "That's all that matters. She needed help and we're giving it to her," he paused briefly, taking in Lorelai's bemused expression. "And get your own damn megaphone!" He ended on a high note.

Taylor was visibly stunned. "Oh, very well then. Let the festivities commence!" Maybe he was reasonable after all.

Everyone cheered, thrilled by their fortune. There were hugs and handshakes all around.

"This is all for me?" Lorelai quietly asked Luke.

"All of it," he happily confirmed.

"Bless you," she grinned.

To Be Continued…

Show Me The Words!


	7. Flapjacks And Cuticles

Good day to you all! The latest chapter of my highly contagious story is now complete! Many thanks to 'damnmydooah' for providing the word "megalomaniac" in the last chapter! Who will be the next lucky winner? Now, let's transport ourselves to the lovely Dragonfly Inn and see what's doing!

Off we go…

The paint cans were open, the coffee was hot (courtesy of Sookie) and the tools were ripe for the picking. Oh, and Taylor had given them the go-ahead. I suppose that was worth mentioning as well. Thus, D-Day had officially commenced.

Everyone had gathered under, what was now termed, 'the main tent.' After all, that's where the food was. Sookie had graciously prepared a lavish buffet of breakfast foods. Flapjacks, French toast and Belgian waffles found home in the first chafing dish, while omelettes, frittatas and goat cheese soufflés occupied the second. Coffee cake, muffins and croissants were arranged precisely on the table, all homemade and simply divine.

"Sookie, I said it before and I'll say it again – you my friend, are a Wizard!" Lorelai cooed with delight, delving in to the tantalizing treats. She couldn't pass up a St. James breakfast if she tried. Nor could anyone with a pulse for that matter.

"Aw thanks hon. I just wanted to make sure today was special. It's D-Day!" Sookie giggled with glee. She loved themes like the best of them.

"Hooray for D-Day!" Kirk shouted while in mid-bite of his flapjack. There was pancake flying everywhere. Taylor felt a stream of warm syrup trickling down his vest – his _favourite_ vest. He saw red.

"Kirk!" Taylor roared. Kirk screeched unbecomingly, then fled in terror. "Get back here Kirk! You wont get away with this!" Taylor threatened as he chased the infuriating creature.

"Ah, the joys of living in a small town," Lorelai smiled appreciatively. The day was already off to a most invigorating start.

People continued to eat and chat, and eat some more, stuffing themselves full of thousands of delicious mouthfuls – preparing for the toil ahead.

And then, another fantastically quirky, simply irresistible character, popped his lovely little head around the corner…

"Michel! What are you doing here?" Sookie was indeed startled by his presence.

"What am _I_ doing here? I work here. And now apparently, so does everyone else in this abhorrent town," he scoffed in disgust.

"They're just helping out for the day Michel. No big deal," Lorelai reasoned.

"Yes, you're right. It's no big deal that I arrived here early, as per your request, leaving my poor Chows at their most temperamental hour, so I could assist you in receiving the shipments being delivered today, when all these wonderful people that have mysteriously gathered on our lawn are perfectly capable of fulfilling my duties. And it's no big deal that I'm missing my appointment with Pierre that took six months to book…

"Who's Pierre," Sookie jumped in.

"My manicurist," he stated as though it were obvious.

"Are you going all metro-sexual on us Michel?" Lorelai mocked.

Michel rolled his eyes in utter annoyance. "Let me leave!" he demanded

"Oh, I don't know Michel. I mean we could really use you around here. You know, for pep talks and motivation. Oh, you could make up a cheer for us!" Lorelai was being a tad quixotic.

"I made a cheer!" Kirk stated with pride. No one seemed surprised.

So Kirk had obviously returned to conversation, but Taylor was M.I.A. Cue suspenseful music.

"My cuticles are suffering!" Michel whined in protest.

"Fine Michel, go. But be here bright and early Monday morning!" Lorelai was stern.

He nodded in agreement.

"At least have some breakfast before you leave." Sookie offered.

"I will not!" he cried indignantly. "So many wasted calories!"

"Wait till you see what's for lunch!" Sookie laughed.

"Come on Michel – you know you want it!" Lorelai waved a whip-cream coated fork in his direction, smirking all the while.

"I despise you," Michel retorted.

Sookie and Lorelai giggled.

Michel stormed off in a huff. If he hurried, he could still make his appointment. Good riddance.

It was quiet for a moment, as if people were expecting another surprise guest.

Lorelai turned to Luke. "So, I'm guessing you're not opening for lunch then?"

"Nope."

"So you lied to me." It was a statement, not a question.

"It was for your own good," he smiled apologetically.

"That's what they all say," she returned his smile. "Sookie's food is superior anyway," she poked.

"Hey!"

"But your coffee kicks her coffee's ass!" she quickly added.

"Nice save," he grinned. He wouldn't need to ban her from the diner after all.

"Alright everybody, listen up!" Patty instructed. "We've got you all paired up according to your tasks. You are to report to your work stations immediately."

"What if I don't like my partner?" Gypsy countered.

"Oh, you got a good one sweetie…Lorelai on the other hand," Babette hinted unnecessarily. She wasn't one for keeping secrets.

Lorelai piped up, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ok, here's the list," Patty interrupted. Babette and Jackson are on yard duty, Sookie's on kitchen duty, Morey and Lulu are on paint duty. Gypsy and Luke are responsible for the electrical work, and Taylor and myself will hold down the fort. Oh, and Lorelai, you and Kirk are at the water station. You guys just need to make sure everyone is completely hydrated and raring to go!" Not even Patty's enthusiasm could make that assignment sound any less pathetic.

"What!" Lorelai and Kirk simultaneously shouted. "I wanted the wood! I'm great with wood!" Kirk screamed in disapproval. "Dirty, but a valid point," Lorelai agreed. She certainly didn't want to be stuck with Kirk all day.

Patty hesitantly relinquished. "Oh, alright Kirk. You can look after the wood."

"Hooray for D-Day!" Kirk squealed with pleasure.

"Not this again," Luke irritably sighed.

"Lorelai sugar, you'll be at the water station. We set up a hammock there in case you get tired." Babette beamed.

"It's a nice hammock," Morey supplied.

"Tired? Babette, you must be joking. You can't possibly expect me to watch all of you work, while I lounge around and guard the precious water for hours on end. This is ridiculous!"

"This is your day Lorelai! Enjoy it while you can," Sookie reasoned. "We'll be back into the swing again on Monday, but today you rest!" Everyone nodded in agreement.

"We'll strap you down if necessary," Luke playfully warned.

"I'll be good," she smiled innocently.

"Let's Go!" Kirk hollered impatiently. He really liked wood.

"Wait, one more thing," Sookie interjected. "Lunch will be served at twelve noon in the main tent. And a celebratory dinner will be served in the dining room this evening. We need to test out the room, see if it's fully-functional."

"Sookie, you're an angel!" Patty marvelled. "Ok workers - to your stations!" The woman should've seriously considered working for NASCAR.

And off they went, the whereabouts of Taylor, still unknown. Ah, intrigue.

To Be Continued…

Lest we forget the 'Word Game' – and keep em coming!


	8. Partners From Hell

Hello friends! It's time again to return to the wonderful land of Stars Hollow! Special thanks to 'Nerin' for providing the word "quixotic" in the last chapter! Now, get ready for some excitement folks, cause here it comes!

With the flick of his wrist, Morey filled the Inn with sweet music. He began with the jazzy styles of "Duke Ellington" in attempt to motivate the troops. They were working and dancing and having a marvellous time. Morey had a gift. He decided to save "Howlin' Wolf" for later. No need to over-stimulate them just yet.

Lulu had taken to the paintbrush like a pro, dabbing here, sprucing there. Morey demonstrated a few stroking techniques to her, which she adopted quickly and appreciatively. His ego was flying high today.

Luke and Gypsy were attending to the Inn's power outlets and appliances with great ease. However, they were experiencing a power-struggle amongst themselves. Gypsy was vying for supremacy in the subject of electricity, suggesting on more than one occasion that Luke 'take a break,' and that she could 'handle it from here.' Luke wanted a new partner.

Outside, a rather symbiotic relationship was developing. Babette was a gardener extraordinaire. Tulips were her specialty, but any plant would do. The woman had a green thumb that would make Martha Stewart envious. Jackson was a little envious himself. Produce may have been his forte, but he was certainly interested in broadening his horizons. Babette was thrilled to share her 'Chrysanthemum' secret with him.

Patty was roving about, silently analysing the sociological patterns evident in the partnerships that she'd formed. She was a 'people watcher.' How else did she become the queen of gossip?

Sookie was busy in the kitchen, up to her elbows in yeast. Whatever it was that she was concocting, had a sinfully delicious aroma, sweeping over the Inn with vigour. Sookie was a culinary genius, a goddess of all things edible. She liked having the kitchen to herself; it was her sanctuary.

Lorelai was bored out of her ever-loving mind. There was only so much one could do with water. Her stomach grumbled. It was going to be a long morning. She decided to take a little venture toward the stables to appease her incessant hunger. The water would just have to look after itself for a while. What could possibly happen? Evaporation was the least of her worries.

Of the many thousand skills that Kirk's resume boasted, wood-care was a genuine talent. Kirk was indeed competent with wood and had a firm knowledge on proper storing/drying methods. Plus, he just loved wood. He was so thoroughly enjoying himself that he failed to notice the presence of a dear friend. Well, maybe not so dear.

"There you are, you mangy little varmint!" Taylor hissed.

"Eeeeeyaaiiiii! Kirk shrieked. "Please don't hurt me Taylor! I'm innocent, INNOCENT!"

Taylor continued closing in on the panicked man, his chest heaving with rage.

"Stop! Don't take another step! I'm warning you!" Kirk fumbled for a piece of wood, the only thing resembling a weapon in his vicinity.

"You wouldn't dare!" Taylor challenged.

"I would!" Kirk affirmed. Gripping a small log of wood, he cried out in pain, "Ow – splinter! Splinter!"

Taylor stifled a laugh. He much preferred verbal sparring. "I'll have you know young man, this vest was a precious gift; a vest that has spanned three generations of Doose's. And now, it has been tarnished, unduly scarred by the likes of you. Now, how do you suggest we resolve this matter?"

Kirk was still wincing in pain. "Uh, well mother has a special cleansing product that she uses on all my clothes. I'm still stain-free after all these years. I've never been able to wash my own clothes. I have an unhealthy fear of washing machines." The man was the very definition of unhealthy.

"Alright Kirk. Let's see to it then, that 'mother' has a look at my vest, shall we?" He spoke peremptorily.

"Yes Taylor," Kirk wholeheartedly agreed.

"Good. I'm glad we had this talk," Taylor smiled intelligently. Kirk was putty in his hands. "Carry on then," Taylor instructed. And with that, he was off. He still didn't have a megaphone. That was the next issue that needed to be addressed. Walking past the entrance, Taylor noted the unguarded water, adding that to his list of complaints.

Morey's mix had transitioned into 'Big Band Swing," which really had everyone clicking their heals. Happy workers were efficient workers.

Luke and Gypsy were instead clicking their teeth. It seemed they too had a flare for the verbal sparring.

"Only an idiot would attach a blue wire to a green wire!" Gypsy stated sharply.

Luke rolled his eyes in frustration, allowing Gypsy to try her hand. She instead attached the green wire to the yellow wire, igniting a small spark in the process.

"Whose the idiot now?" Luke returned with fury.

"If you hadn't messed with these wires in the first place…"

Luke abruptly interrupted, "_Whose_ idea was it to 'mess' with these wires?"

"I can't work in these conditions!" Gypsy snapped.

"Ditto!" Luke snapped back.

"I want a new partner!" they shouted in unison.

Patty and Taylor immediately rushed to the scene. There would be no more outbursts. Not on their watch.

"Luke, Gypsy – calm down! I think you both need a 'time out.' Luke, report to the water station at once." Patty demanded.

"Gladly," he responded, relieved to escape from the madness.

"And Gypsy, you go help Kirk for a while. That's an awful big pile of wood out there," Taylor directed.

"You're kidding right?" she asked astounded. "He's kidding right?" she turned to Patty for verification.

"Go now!" Taylor boomed. He didn't like to be questioned.

"I want my old partner back!" she pleaded.

"You've got until the count of ten," Mr. Doose warned.

"Fine!" She stormed out the back door and into her definition of hell. "But if Kirk gets hurt, it's his own fault!" she echoed from a distance.

Patty and Taylor glanced at one another and sighed. This was going to be a long day.

Luke wasn't surprised to see the water station unoccupied. His first instinct was the stables. He knew Lorelai better than to assume she'd remain idle for any amount of time. He also knew her affection for horses. He could hear her, long before he could see her. She was chatting away amicably with her four-legged friends.

He walked over to her position next to Cletus's stall. Not that Luke knew the horse's name. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he casually cut in.

"Oh, hey!" she revelled in his company. "I was just testing out my 'Dr. Dolittle' theory, that's all," she laughed.

"Your what?" He really lived in a cave.

"My…never mind." She decided to lay that horse to rest (no pun intended.) "So, how are things going in there?"

"Um, besides the fact that I'm currently on a 'time out,' I'd say they were going pretty well."

"Why, Lucas Danes! What ever did you do to earn such an outrageous punishment?" she playfully mocked.

"In a word, Gypsy," he sighed. "She's driving me nuts. I can't stand working with her. She just keeps pushing all my buttons!" He was getting all revved up again.

"Dirty!" Lorelai giggled.

"Lorelai," Luke groaned.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

He sighed. "I'm saying, that I got a crappy partner."

"Well who would you have wanted for a partner?" She was being rather presumptuous.

"You," he answered honestly. "You're the only person I can tolerate for more than fifteen seconds."

"Ah, I feel so privileged." She sounded disappointed.

"No, I didn't mean – I just…" he struggled. "You would have been a great partner," he concluded, smiling.

Lorelai felt a slight blush arise in her cheeks. "Likewise," she smiled back.

They stood there smiling at each other like a couple of hormone-crazed teenagers. And suddenly, the heavy sounds of a transmission broke their silence.

The shipments had finally arrived!

To Be Continued!

Remember the Word Game!


	9. The Doorman Cometh

I'm back! I'm back! And not a moment too soon! I apologize for my tardiness in updating, but I assure you, that the delays are over. Only smooth sailing ahead. Thanks for sticking with me; you shall be rewarded greatly! Special thanks to 'GilmoreHorseFreak04' for providing us with the word "peremptorily" in the last chapter! Whose lucky word will be next?

Now, let us allow our imaginations to drift once more to the lovely little land of Stars Hollow…

The massive truck barrelled toward the building, smoke puffing, wheels screeching, coming to an abrupt halt in the circular drive. A burly young gentleman exited the vehicle wearing a winning expression.

Lorelai glanced apologetically toward Luke and pardoned herself to attend to the delivery. Luke sighed in frustration looking to the horses for answers. He felt entirely silly. He walked quickly in the direction of the truck, and Lorelai of course, leaving two bamboozled quadrupeds behind.

Lorelai was chatting away animatedly with the young man, applying her signature to the necessary documents. Luke approached from behind; ready to chip in when necessary to remove the cargo.

Lorelai turned to Luke and smiled. "We have doors!" she shouted with glee.

Luke grinned, "That's a good thing."

"A very good thing," she agreed.

"I think it would have been a little too intimate otherwise," he supplied.

"Yeah," she began, "I really don't wanna know what Patty does behind closed doors."

Luke chuckled lightly, "I really don't wanna know what Kirk does behind closed doors."

"Touché," she grinned.

There was a slight pause. The deliveryman thought it best to jump in. He didn't have all day you know. "Well, I guess we should start unloading then?" the young man suggested.

"Oh, yes – of course. Um, Luke could you…"

Luke nodded enthusiastically, "You bet."

"Great, thanks. I'll go see if I can recruit some more strong men." Lorelai started for the Inn. Noticing Luke's dubious expression, she stopped. "All right, they may not be strong men, but at least they're men," she reasoned.

He shrugged and began unloading, pondering all the while. Taylor must have had a little muscle buried under there. And Jackson, he looked like he'd picked up an axe or two in his life. Then there was Kirk. He didn't even want to think about Kirk's physique.

Luke needed to clear his mind. "So, got a lot of deliveries today?" Small talk was just the ticket.

"Oh, not too many dude. But they're all rush-orders, so I'll need to get out of here as soon as possible, if that's cool," the young man smiled.

"That shouldn't be a problem, uh dude," Luke awkwardly assured him. He heaved a door from the truck, leaning it against the outside of the vehicle.

"Awesome," the young lad smiled appreciatively. He mirrored Luke's actions by leaning a second door against the truck's frame. Feeling rather bold, he pressed on, "So, how long have you two been an item?"

"Excuse me?" Luke was ignorant.

"You know, you and the dark haired chick. She's a real fox." Mr. deliveryman obviously had visions of 'male bonding.' The boy in him was most definitely exposing itself.

Luke glared at the little punk. "The dark-haired 'chick,' is just a friend. And her name is Lorelai," he grunted in response. He had no intentions of bonding. He inwardly scolded himself for initiating the conversation in the first place.

"Sorry dude, I totally felt a vibe there. You married or something?" Where was the off switch?

"No, I mean yes – well, I was. I'm divorced actually." Luke paused before continuing, "Wait, why am I telling you all this?" he asked himself aloud, while unloading his seventh door.

"Here come the reinforcements!" Lorelai proudly announced from the porch. Jackson, Taylor, Gypsy and Morey were in toe. Kirk thought it best to stay with the wood, he needed some alone time. His splinter still hurt.

Luke breathed a sigh of relief, relishing the distraction. He and the young man had emptied the truck of its contents. Now it was installation time. Luke was pretty handy in that department. Gypsy might have stated otherwise.

Lorelai sauntered over to Luke and the deliveryman, grinning all the while. "Looking good guys!" She was certainly pleased with their progress.

"Ditto," the young man winked playfully at Lorelai.

"O-k then." Lorelai forced a nervous chuckle.

"No kidding lady. You are one fine looking creature." Seriously though, who invited chatty?

A crimson-shaded Lorelai looked at Luke in utter shock, her eyes pleading for assistance.

Luke sprung into action. "Alright pal, I think we can take it from here," he grabbed him forcefully by the arm.

"Oh yeah?" It seemed that the young chap wasn't quite ready to leave.

"Yeah," Luke spoke strongly. "Didn't you say you had other deliveries to make, or was I just hearing things?"

"I might have said something like that." His arm was beginning to hurt. Luke's hand was like a vice-grip.

"Then I might suggest you tend to your business, and we'll tend to ours. Is that cool with you?" Luke was acting entirely presumptuous. Lorelai was having a field day.

"Yeah dude, it's cool." He squirmed from Luke's hold, leaned towards Lorelai, and whispered, "he totally likes you," into her ear.

She shook her head in amusement and watched as Luke's eyes aggressively directed deliveryman back to the inner confines of his truck.

Taylor and the boys meanwhile, had adeptly removed the doors from their position against the side of the truck, so it was clear sailing ahead. With a friendly wave of his hand, deliveryman drove out of sight, leaving a trail of smoke in his path.

There was a brief silence. Taylor stepped up to the plate. "All right folks, it's installation time!" he announced to the crowd. "So, pair up. Let's make this process as smooth and effective as possible!" It seemed that teamwork was the theme at the Dragonfly.

Patty snuck up behind Taylor, desperate to add her two cents. "Taylor, make sure Luke and Gypsy stay at least 10 feet away from each other at all times!"

Taylor jumped in surprise at Patty's sudden intrusion. "Miss Patty, I am very aware of the Luke/Gypsy situation. Everything is under control here." He glared unbecomingly at the busybody, and continued, "Jackson and Gypsy take doors one through four, Morey and Luke take doors five through nine, and I…well, I'll watch the rest of the doors until you come back for them." Sly Taylor.

"Ha! Good one Taylor. You are so not getting out of this one. Grab a door and march your butt into the Inn!" Gypsy boomed.

"But, I, I…" Taylor stuttered.

Lorelai mercifully interrupted, "What about me Taylor? I need to do something. I'm bored out of my mind here!"

"Very well Lorelai," Taylor resolved. "I'll look after the water station."

"Taylor!" Gypsy shouted in disgust.

"Oh, fine. Lorelai, you pair up with Luke. I'll go with Morey." Truthfully, Taylor wanted to keep an eye on the 'music man.' Make sure he didn't slip in another "Howlin' Wolf" record any time soon.

Luke looked at Lorelai and inquired softly, "You sure you're up to this?"

"Well, you'll be doing all the heavy lifting. I'll just tell you where the doors go. And, I'll be here for emotional support, of course," she smirked.

"Ah, the perfect partner," Luke smiled. He grabbed a door and followed the 'fine looking creature' into her budding enterprise.

The others were no more than a door-length behind, in eager pursuit. They were an industrious bunch. It truly was an a-door-able scene.

To Be Continued…

And, remember the 'Word Game!'


	10. Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Brace yourselves people…I have finally returned with what I hope to be the best chapter yet of this zany story! In other news, I made the executive decision to put the 'word game' to rest. It was becoming more of a nuisance than anything else – but it was fun while it lasted, and I thank you dearly for your contributions. Now, without further ado let's make our way back to the wonderful world of Stars Hollow. I hear there's a party going on…

The townies were clicking their heels as the doors slid neatly into place. The solid oak additions matched the décor perfectly. Everything was coming together wonderfully and Lorelai felt a tremendous relief. She and Luke had moved on to door number seven. Five and six had been a breeze for the accomplished craftsman. Luke truly was a man of many hidden talents, and strong as an ox. Lorelai hadn't failed to notice the rippling muscles in his back and shoulders upon easing the doors into position. Nope, she didn't mind being partners with Mr. Danes one bit.

Luke installed door number seven in record time, admiring his handy-work with a broad grin. God, Lorelai loved it when he revealed those pearly whites of his. He truly had the most brilliant of smiles.

"All done." Luke hit the door proudly, awaiting Lorelai's certain approval. How he loved to please this woman.

"Great. It's great. You did an amazing job," she smiled appreciatively. Her eyes lingered on Luke's for perhaps a second too long allowing for yet another awkward, or as some might call it, opportune moment. And again, their ogling was interrupted.

"LUNCH! Lunch is ready!" Sookie hollered from the kitchen. "Report at once to the main tent." Odd, but it sounded as though Sookie's voice was a trifle louder than normal. As though it was being _amplified_. Taylor may have scrounged up a megaphone after all.

It was twelve-noon, on the dot. Sookie could keep to any agenda involving food. Those worker-beavers dropped everything at the sound of 'lunch' and nearly trampled over one another as they descended the staircase and exited the building.

Once outside, a hush fell over the crowd as they surveyed Sookie's spectacular spread. The buffet tables were decked with delicacies and delights beyond compare. Sookie had decided on a Mediterranean theme. Artichokes, fish stew, Greek salad, stuffed vegetables, Moroccan couscous, baked lamb and ravioli were just the tip of the iceberg. Kirk jumped to the front of the line. He needed the sustenance. He was a rather measly character, to put it lightly. It wasn't long after the townies began stuffing their faces that someone pointed out the obvious absence of a few key participants.

"Where's Lorelai?" Sookie wondered aloud. A Gilmore's absence during feeding time was simply out of the question.

"And Luke?" Patty supplied. The food was superb, but she of course missed the eye candy.

"And Taylor!" Kirk shouted while choking back a hearty mouthful. Kirk had an unnatural fondness for the Selectman. It might have been a power thing.

All these missing people - it was a mystery indeed. One that Babette was ready to get to the bottom of. Besides, her plate was empty. "Alright, who was Lorelai's partner for the door installation thingy?"

"She was with Luke." Jackson supplied.

Patty smiled devilishly. "Then that explains their absence," she laughed naughtily. Babette and Sookie followed suit.

"What about Taylor!" Kirk brusquely interrupted the mush fest.

"Well who was Taylor's partner?" Babette continued her inquiry. Perhaps she had seen too many episodes of Law and Order.

Silence ensued.

"Ok people. Time to fess up! One of you little turncoats had the displeasure of Mr. Doose's company. Now who was it?" This time Morey chimed in. He and Babette were a tag-team, crime-fighting duo. If you could even call this a crime. The word blessing came to mind.

"YOU!" Kirk shouted, causing quite a stir. His fork prongs pointed directly at the Music Man himself. "You were partners with Taylor! What did you do to him? If you hurt him so help me god," Kirk leapt from the table and lunged straight for Morey."

Jackson and Gypsy quickly restrained the wild man. Morey looked genuinely frightened. Kirk had that effect on most people, even when subdued.

"Code Blue, Code Blue!" Patty screeched. "Where is Taylor when you need him?" Indeed.

Meanwhile, back in Room 7 – lucky number 7…

"I am so building a shrine for that woman," Lorelai cooed with delight. Her hunger pains were on the verge of mild. But that was enough for any Gilmore to warrant such an extravagant gesture.

Luke chuckled.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Lorelai walked towards the door, her feet eagerly pounding the floor in anticipation of yet another glorious feast. Just as she reached the archway, Luke grabbed her arm. She turned in haste. There was barely a foot of space between them. Lorelai swallowed, confusion coating her expression. "Luke?"

"Lorelai, we can't go." His heart was pounding.

"What? Why?"

"Because I…because," he struggled. He needed to do this. He needed to know – for the sake of his sanity. How many more chances was he going to have alone with Lorelai…in Room Seven? "Because I haven't checked the lock on this door yet." Strike three, batter's out.

She grimaced, seemingly disappointed by his revelation. But she wasn't buying it. "Well I'll test it for you," Lorelai smiled brazenly. She reached for the door and closed it.

Click.

Before she re-opened the door, Lorelai thought it best to inform Luke of her intentions. "Alright, here I go. Once this door is open I'm following my nose to the main tent. You ok with that?"

He nodded.

She placed both hands on the knob and turned sharply. Nothing. She laughed it off and turned again, harder this time. Still nothing. "Well now isn't that funny." Lorelai was quite certain Luke was trying to pull a fast one on her.

"Uh, allow me." Lorelai obligingly stepped aside. Luke was quite certain she was trying to pull a fast one on him. He grabbed the knob and turned it forcefully. One way. Then another. "Unbelievable."

Wouldn't you know it – the damn thing was jammed! How convenient.

TBC


	11. Eat And Run

Hello friends! It's time for another gripping chapter! My swiftness  
(sort of) in updating was all for you, my faithful and devoted readers! Enjoy

They were stuck. That door wasn't budging. Nope, it was quite happy to stay closed. Perhaps it wasn't yet ready to open itself to the world. It was an anthropomorphic door, you see.

All Luke could do was laugh. Maybe there was some merit to the 'lucky seven' philosophy after all.

"What's so funny?" It wasn't often that Lorelai was exposed to a full-fledged Danes laugh.

Luke sighed, leaning his back against the door. "This – you, me. It's all very funny," he chuckled some more.

"Funny?" Lorelai was a tad perplexed.

"Funny," he assured her.

She paused thoughtfully. "Uh, why funny?"

Luke pushed off the door and walked to the middle of the room, his back to Lorelai. He ran a hand over the crease above his eyebrows. Exhaling deeply he spoke, "Tell me I haven't been imagining these moments between us."

Lorelai's breath caught in her throat. Her heart pounded in her chest; she thought she might faint. She waited, allowing the oxygen to return to her brain before she uttered a syllable. "Moments?"

Things were finally cooling down at the main tent, or rather, heating up. Kirk had returned to his seat and Morey had received a new one – 'the hot seat.'

"You have till the count of ten to come clean," Patty warned. "One…two…three…"

Babette held tight to her main squeeze. "It's ok sugar. I wont let em' hurt ya!"

Morey rolled his eyes in defeat. "Fine. Taylor's right where I left him. In room two."

He hated surrendering to the interrogation – it was very un-cool.

"What the hell's he doin' in room two?" Babette queried.

"Who cares what he's doing, why don't we just leave him there!" Gypsy of course had to add her two cents.

"Yeah, I'm with Gypsy," Jackson jumped in. Chalk up another dedicated member of the Taylor fan club.

"You monsters!" Kirk screamed, hurdling over the table and heading straight for the Inn. "I'll save you Taylor!"

Lulu ran quickly after the crazed man. "Kirk! Slow down! You shouldn't run for at least a half hour after eating! Remember what the doctor said!"

Kirk turned around slightly at the sound of Lulu's desperate pleas.

"Kirk, watch where you're going!" Babette barked. "He's headed right for my petunias! Look at him!" She hastily joined in the pursuit. Well hasty for Babette anyway. "I'll kill him! I swear I'll kill him!"

"Those are my petunias too Babette! Or did our partnership mean nothing to you!" an offended Jackson hollered.

"Jackson! You planted those?" Sookie was both surprised and delighted.

"You're damn right I did! And I'm not about to have them ruined!" Jackson hiked up his pants and scampered off after the others.

"What a bunch of quacks!" Gypsy huffed. "Hey! Who stole my artichoke?" And the catch phrase 'Where's the beef' had officially been replaced.

All these running buffoons - it really was quite a scene. There must have been something in the Mediterranean food.

Luke turned to face Lorelai. He needed to see her reaction. "Moments, Lorelai. Incidences, occurrences, happenings, events…call it what you will." His sarcasm was a trifle condescending. But he was tired of tiptoeing.

"Don't patronize me – I am very well aware of what a moment is!" Her defenses were tingling.

"Why can't you just admit it?" Luke walked slowly forward, closing the distance between them. "Aren't you tired of pretending?"

Lorelai held to her spot on the floor. She simply couldn't move. "Admit what? Who's pretending?" The woman was stubborn till the end.

Luke knew what she was doing. She wanted him to spell it out for her. It was completely out of a Gilmore's character to admit her feelings. Oh, the work. "Lorelai, be reasonable." His frustration was apparent.

"Am I being unreasonable?" Lots and lots of work.

Luke scowled at her then. She fought back a smile.

"So you're saying you felt nothing when the glass broke in my apartment?" The image was permanently etched into Luke's mind - Lorelai on his bed, his body hovering over hers, their eyes meeting in a passionate embrace.

Memories of the night flooded Lorelai's mind. Luke's firm body so desperately near to hers, his breath warming every part of her being. Her limbs grew weak at the thought. But she'd played the game for so long, she was unsure of how to quit. "Of course I felt something Luke. Didn't I tell you I'd buy you a set of those glasses for Christmas?"

"I'm not talking about the damn glass!"

"Then what are you talking about?"

"You're impossible!"

"And you're in love with me!" That statement shocked them both into silence. Suggestion number 23 in The 100 Most Effective Ways to End an Argument. Lorelai was completely stunned by her own words. She couldn't think of a thing to say.

Luke was no better off. His expression seemed distant, yet his eyes remained focused on Lorelai.

Truth and conviction were exposed specifically by _his_ silence. "Are…are you?" She ached to know.

He shook his head in frustration, not denial.

"You are, aren't you?" she continued to press.

"I am not." His pride was on the line here.

"Yes you are." Amusement framed her face.

"No."

"You are too." She was relentless when she was right. Smug too.

"Lorelai," he warned.

"Why can't _you_ just admit it Luke? What are you afraid of?" Now the tables had turned.

Luke fruitlessly sighed. "I'm afraid that you…that you'll run away."

The words cut through her like a knife. "I, I can't."

"Why?" Hope had been restored, and with it anticipation, opportunity.

"The door's jammed…"

"Ah." The words cut through him like a machete.

But she wasn't finished. "And…I don't want to run away."

It took a minute to register. "You don't?"

"No." The elation on his face caused hers to flush. "I felt it too."

She felt it too. She felt it too. Her confession was on loop in his brain. He walked a step closer. Then another. His body shuddered, his breath heavy with desire. Inches of space separated them. Lorelai closed her eyes. His right hand traced her porcelain cheek. She tilted her head back, allowing him permission to drink in her scent. His left hand floated in a sea of curls, lifting her face toward his. She opened her eyes and saw a man starving with passion and she knew her purpose in life, to feed his soul. Their mouths twitched impatiently, their eyes closed simultaneously. Lips fused together with inimitable chemistry. Luke's hands clung to Lorelai's body, vigorously searching for and discovering her many hidden attributes. Her lower extremities pulsated in appreciation. Their tongues entangled, his forcing its way deep into her mouth causing her to moan. She held tight to his body, gripping his back and shoulders with intensity. Minds and bodies merged exquisitely in concert. Oxygen was of the essence. They lamentably withdrew from one another and seized an imperative breath.

TBC…


	12. Friendly Folks And Artichokes

Hey everyone! The latest chapter of this quirky story is ready for your viewing pleasure! So sit back, relax and enjoy!

Their chests heaved impatiently, lungs urgently summoning air. His hands lingered on her hips, having found a permanent home. Her hands held his shoulders for support; she was dizzy with emotion. Together their eyes met and they shared a gaze more intense than a kiss ever could be.

A smile pulled at the corners of Lorelai's mouth. She cocked her head to the side and marveled at the man standing before her. "Wow. Just…wow." The first words uttered from her swollen lips.

Luke smiled wide, relieved. To him it wasn't just a kiss - it was a transformation of a relationship, it was a reincarnation of a man that had never truly lived until this very moment. "I was so nervous," he admitted.

She took a heavy, knowing breath. "Me too."

"But we spend so much time together."

"Maybe that's why."

"We were afraid of exploring the unknown."

"Didn't want to mess with a good thing."

"But this is a good thing," there was diffidence in his tone.

"A very good thing," she confidently assured him.

Luke hugged Lorelai tight to him. He never wanted to let go. "I love this room," he grinned.

Lorelai laughed. "Lucky number seven." Boy was it ever.

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"Ow - ouch! Oh the pain, oh the pain of it all!" Kirk shrieked as Babette administered a good, swift boot to his bottom. She could lift that foot of hers pretty high for a stout woman. Morey could attest to that. He didn't call her his 'supple flower' without reason.

"And there's more where that came from if you ever come near my petunias again!" Babette meant business.

"Our petunias! Damn it, they're our petunias Babette!" Jackson was very territorial about flowers, among other things.

Babette waved her hand dismissively, "Yeah, whatever."

The townspeople had all gathered in a cluster next to the front steps of the Inn. Morey, Sookie and Patty casually caught up to the running fools and made their way into the conversation.

"You got some great extension on that kick babe," Morey eagerly commended his other half.

She loved it when he noticed her sudden spurts of agility. "You know it, doll face!"

"Stop it! Stop encouraging her! She's hateful, she's vengeful!" Kirk hollered. He was being a tad dramatic, but his bottom hurt.

"Kirk, get a hold of yourself," Patty reasoned.

Kirk had an insubordinate glint in his eye. "Oh, I'll get a hold of something alright…" And off he went running again, this time away from the petunias and straight for the green thumb herself.

"Oh god, Morey! The little imp is after me! Get back Kirk – I'm warning you!"

Kirk quickly cornered the couple, planning his attack.

"Someone get a leash on him. He's completely mad!" Jackson was certainly frightened.

"That's my Kirk you're talking about, you – you bully!" Lulu cried in defense. Nice of her to join the excitement, but where was she when Kirk was taking his licks? Indeed.

Lulu's unwarranted comment triggered Sookie into action, "Jackson is not a bully! He's a very sensitive man! He cries when he listens to CCR. It's so sweet."

"Sookie!" Jackson protested.

"What?" Sookie asked innocently.

Babette's shrieks were distraction enough from Jackson's guilty pleasures. "Help! He's trying to bite me! Morey, do somethin'!"

"Jackson, you and Morey close in from behind, I'll cover the front," Patty intuitively instructed.

"You wont take me alive!" Kirk roared.

This was becoming quite ridiculous. What a quandary they were in. Someone needed to step in and establish some order.

"Alright, everybody SHUT UP!" Gypsy boomed. "We need to focus on the real problem here!" I suppose she was referring to Taylor. Who knew Gypsy actually cared?

The townies smartly preserved what little dignity remained and surrendered in silence.

"Now that I have your attention," Gypsy began, "who stole my artichoke?" Two steps forward, three steps back…

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Luke and Lorelai had moved on to more important things. Less talking and more kissing. Their tongues entangled once more, this time without hesitation. There was no holding back. Lorelai pulled Luke's body against hers, feeling his hardness, pleasuring completely in the sensation. Their arms were wrapped so tightly around one another, permanently fusing them together. They were making up for lost time. Luke moved to Lorelai's neck and began devouring her from the outside.

He was making it very difficult to concentrate, but Lorelai was a talker. "Isn't it amazing?" she wondered.

"What?" He breathed against her neck.

"How natural this feels - how right this feels?"

"It's amazing," Luke concurred as he wickedly nibbled on Lorelai's ear.

She contentedly sighed, "amazing."

Luke continued his perusal of Lorelai's northerly regions, relishing every minute.

"So, how do you propose we get out of here?" she interrupted his blissful adventure.

"You want to leave?" he poked.

"God no. But we can't stay here forever." And there was still the matter of food.

Well, I suppose we could try to fiddle around with the door," judging by her face he knew his mistake. "I know – dirty."

"Big time!" she giggled.

"Or," Luke continued, "we could wait for one of those nitwits to break us out."

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Speaking of nitwits…

Gypsy was rapidly becoming less popular than Kirk. She had to think fast. "Hey, just kidding guys. Just a little artichoke humor. Passes the time," she gulped.

If anything, Gypsy's little artichoke speech reminded Kirk of his missing comrade. What, with all the threats and name-calling he'd almost forgotten his primary mission. "Taylor! I have to save him! I'm coming Taylor – I'm coming!" Again, Kirk took off in a sprint leaving a trail of…well he didn't leave a trail of anything. He was too frail to stir any dust.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go," Patty relinquished.

The others shrugged their shoulders. And away they went, trampling into the Inn like a herd of elephants.

They could hear Kirk shouting to the locked door of room two. "Taylor, I'm here! You're safe now! I know who did this to you. And he won't get away with it! I made a drawing of him on my etch-a-sketch!" Where the hell did he get an etch-a-sketch?

"Who - who's there? Kirk? Is that you Kirk? Get me out of here!" Taylor demanded.

The townies caught up to Kirk, thinking aloud as to how to remove Taylor from his holding cell, and also trying to convince themselves that they should in fact remove him in the first place.

"What's going on? Why aren't you people letting me out? I need more paper. My list of complaints has surpassed even my expectations!" Seclusion had quite an effect on Taylor.

"We need the key. What did you do with the key Morey?" Patty questioned.

"I don't know…I might have flushed it," he casually offered.

"Good on you!" Gypsy eagerly praised Morey's handy work.

"I'm sure Lorelai has another key. I just don't know where she keeps them," Sookie cut in.

"Ok, then we find Lorelai!" Jackson exclaimed.

"I'll stay here. I won't leave you Taylor!" Kirk proudly secured.

"Lucky me," Taylor grimaced.

TBC…


	13. The Voice Of God?

Hey gang! It's finally time for lucky chapter thirteen! I'm giddy with delight! Sorry for the delays, but those are far behind us now!

Now then, back to the story…

Luke and Lorelai certainly heard the townies, trampling into the Inn like a herd of elephants. Initially they were a trifle confused as to why Taylor's name was being thrown about so often. And then they realized that the Selectman had been 'stowed away' for safekeeping as it were.

"Taylor locked up? Now that's something I can live with," Luke mused.

"Yes, we'll surely have to erect a statue in Morey's honor." Erect might not have been the most appropriate choice of words, considering the man standing next to Lorelai was nothing short of it.

Luke grinned rather slyly. "They might be a while…you know, dealing with Taylor and such."

"That's definitely possible," Lorelai returned with a sly grin of her own.

Their breathing was becoming heavy, their conversation evaporated in the heat of the moment. A Tsunami of silence engulfed the room as the reality of the situation hit them like a surfboard. They were alone…in room seven, and they had finally come to terms with their undeniable attraction toward one another. Oh the possibilities. The tension in the room was as thick as a Porter House steak, but the only thing Lorelai hungered for was unbridled passion with a side of eroticism.

"So…" Lorelai permeated the silence.

"So…" Luke followed her lead.

"Whatcha wanna do?" Her tone was playful, but not entirely pure.

Luke replied sincerely, "You shouldn't ask me that."

She blushed, "Oh?"

Luke's hands captured Lorelai's body. They glided diplomatically up and down her voluptuous curves, resting firmly on her hips. "Lorelai," Luke began.

"Yes," she labored.

"I want you."

Lorelai refrained from giggling. "Well, you've got me," she offered childishly.

"Now, Lorelai. I want you now."

His forthrightness was utterly surprising, and a major turn-on. "Right now?"

"Yes."

"Here?"

"Yes." He was especially monosyllabic when aroused.

"In Room 7?

"Lucky Number 7," he affirmed naughtily.

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"So where is that Gilmore girl hiding anyway?" Jackson asked the group.

Patty mused, "Well if I had her legs, I'd be doing something very indecent."

"It's never stopped you before." Babette quipped.

Gypsy rolled her eyes in disgust. "We're obviously not accomplishing anything by standing here, listening to Patty's sexual fantasies. I say we split up."

"That's a great idea Gypsy," Jackson encouraged. Wait, Jackson was willingly supporting an idea proposed by Gypsy? There must have been something in Gypsy's artichoke. Yeah, he stole it.

The mechanic stifled a laugh. "You'reagreeing with me? Sookie, what did you put in those artichokes?" Hmm, maybe Gypsy knew more than she let on.

"Just a little bit of TLC!" Sookie giggled with delight.

Babette groaned. "Hurry people, let's get a move on. Before Sookie gets any more sentimental."

"I'll lead the grounds crew," Jackson volunteered. "I love that you're sentimental," he added, winking at his wife.

"I'll take the upstairs." Patty raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Uh, yeah. I'm with Patty," Babette smiled a little too broadly.

"Count me in, ladies," Sookie chimed. If there was any action going on upstairs she certainly wanted to be privy to it. After all, she'd been rooting for the Gilmore-Danes union for longer than even she could remember. She had earned her ringside seat.

"Fine, the rest of us will tag along with Jackson. We'll meet back here in thirty," Morey commanded. He would've made a good businessman, but he was far too cool for that.

"See ya in thirty," Babette agreed. She loved it when Morey took control of things…especially behind closed doors.

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In other parts of the Inn, Luke and Lorelai were getting a little too audacious for their own good. All that pent up sexual tension, it was a wonder they held off as long as they did. Here, in room seven, things were finally happening.

Clothing had been discarded, and with it, any and all inhibitions. They practically danced their way onto the mattress, as if this was a routine they had practiced for years. They fell in unison onto the pillows and lay breathlessly beside each other.

Lorelai was overcome with desire, but somehow reason found its way into that pretty little head of hers. "Luke, do you think this is a good idea?

He spoke hoarsely, "Lorelai, I can't think right now."

She turned on her side to face him. "Why not?"

He took a second to compose himself before uttering, "Cause you're not wearing any clothes right now."

Lorelai laughed a throaty laugh, surprising herself. Luke couldn't help but chuckle at the unique sound. Lorelai laughed again, amused by Luke's reaction. And Luke let out a full-fledged laugh of his own in response. Thus began a giggling fit to rival any giggling fit. Lorelai couldn't remember the last time she'd had such fun. Being naked was icing on the cake.

Luke had always imagined that Lorelai would be a character in bed - quirky to the end. He was determined to test his speculation though. Right now. He'd waited long enough. They both had. Lorelai's giggles quickly subsided when Luke strongly took hold of her body and positioned it under his own. He stared down at her, eyes full of compassion and longing. Eyes that had a fire in them, a fire that only she had the power to extinguish.

"Lorelai, I need you," Luke growled.

She nodded, "Just call me Smokey the Bear."

They both grinned. Their understanding was beyond words.

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"Shh…I think I hear something. Is that laughing? Does that sound like laughter to you?" Babette questioned her fellow female detectives.

The three women were standing within feet of room seven.

Patty boldly pressed her ear to the door. "Yep, that sounds like laughter to me," she whispered.

"What should we do?" Babette wondered aloud.

"Well, let's think about this logically. We shouldn't react too hasty. It might not even be them behind this door. It could be random townspeople, or vagrants," Sookie tried to sound convincing.

"Or maybe it is Luke and Lorelai in there, and the damn door is jammed and they've been waiting patiently for someone to come and bust 'em outta there," Babette smartly offered.

Babette's theory seemed to have convinced Sookie. "Then I think it's our duty to investigate the situation further."

"Are you suggesting that we intrude, Sookie?" Patty feigned innocence.

"I think I just did." Sookie was in over her head now.

Patty smiled victoriously, "It's about time."

Just before the women trespassed into forbidden territory, they were interrupted by a voice. Was it the voice of God? Oh, heavens no.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" A woman's voice could be heard from below. It was a voice peppered with annoyance and lightly salted with arrogance. A voice that could only belong to one person, Emily Gilmore.

TBC…

How was that for the scariest cliffhanger ever? Don't worry, an update is just around the corner. You'll sleep easier knowing that.


	14. Where's Waldo, Where's Lorelai?

That last chapter ended with the 'mother' of all cliffhangers, eh? No pun intended. Thanks very much for the reviews - I'm glad I had ya'll laughing a bit. Well, I suppose it's time to clear up some loose ends. Grab some popcorn and let your minds wander back to the Dragonfly. Things are about to get interesting…

"Hello?" Emily's shrill voice reverberated throughout the Inn. The freshly painted walls peeled in response. Rolling her eyes impatiently, she took a deep breath and focused her attention on the room in which she stood. She wouldn't dare let on how impressed she was. The progress her daughter had made in transforming this establishment was commendable.

A rustling of footsteps could be heard from above. Emily started towards the staircase.

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"Who the hell was that?" Babette referred to the voice from downstairs.

Sookie wore a horrified expression. "Oh my god. I think it's Emily Gilmore! But why on earth is she here…unless someone told her about today." She looked to Patty for an explanation.

"I certainly did not!" Patty sternly defended herself. "Besides, I don't have her phone number."

"Like that's ever stopped ya'!" Babette poked.

Patty beamed, "Phonebooks truly are one of life's precious gifts."

"So it was you!" Sookie accused the gossiping guru.

"Sookie, my dear, you give me far too much credit. Even I know when not to toil."

"If you say so," Sookie sighed. "Don't you suppose we should be heading downstairs now?" she sensibly suggested.

"Yes, I think we should. Come along then ladies." Patty led the way.

The three busybodies passed quickly through the hall and caught sight of Emily as they rounded the staircase.

"Mrs. Gilmore!" Sookie shouted.

"For goodness sake, there's no need to shout, Sookie. I'm within hearing distance." Emily unpleasantly returned.

"Emily, so nice to see you," Patty cooed as the elder Gilmore reached the top stair.

"That's a nice outfit, Emily. You're one classy broad." Babette tried her hand at flattery.

Emily scowled at the three women. "What's going on here? What are all of you doing here?"

"There's nothing to be worried about Mrs. Gilmore," Patty secured. "We're merely pitching in to help get this place off and running. It's a whole town effort. I don't suppose you saw any of our crew outside?"

Emily seemed uninterested in Patty's sap story. "The walls in the front foyer need repainting. And you might consider applying a different finish to the wood on the outside veranda."

"Yes, Mrs. Gilmore. Those are really great ideas," Sookie giggled awkwardly.

Emily looked quizzically at the chef, "I certainly don't think this is a laughing matter, Sookie."

Patty abruptly changed the subject, "So, Emily, what brings you here to Stars Hollow?"

"Well I'm definitely not here for the scenery. I 'm looking for my daughter. She was supposed to meet me in Hartford today for lunch. But as usual, something prevented her from keeping an appointment. I tell you, that girl is flighty as a feather."

"How'd ya know where to look for her?" Babette inquired.

Emily shook her head in frustration, "I didn't know where to look. I might better have read a 'Where's Waldo Book.' She wasn't at her house, or that insufferable diner. This was the last place on my list. I don't suppose she's even here, is she?"

Such a simple question inspired an internal struggle within all three women. Exactly who was going to tell Emily where Lorelai was, whom she was with and what she might possibly be doing with him? Should they keep their nosy noses out of trouble and divert Emily's attention until they rectified a potentially messy situation? Or, do they commit to the unthinkable and lead Emily into the lion's den? More aptly named, the loins den.

"Well, is she or isn't she?" Emily shattered their contemplative silence.

Sookie and Babette were as tight lipped as mimes. I guess it was up to Patty to make the right decision. Bad idea.

"Um, yes, Emily. Lorelai is here…uh, that is to say she was here. You see, we're not exactly sure where she is at this precise moment. It's been somewhat chaotic around here…people running this way and that. She could be just about anywhere." Perfidious Patty had mended her ways.

Before Emily could contemptuously retort, she was distracted by a familiar sound. It appeared to be coming from room seven.

"What was that?" Emily asked, bewildered.

Babette choked on her saliva. "Oh, that? That was the uh, the uh, painters. They're just doin' some touch-ups. One of em' has a real nice ass, eh girls?" Babette's imagination was something worthy of a Nobel Prize. A dirty Nobel Prize.

"Oh, yeah. He was a real looker. And I was looking," Sookie giggled. She was too cute to be impure.

"I thought I heard a woman's voice," Emily interrupted the love fest. "It sounded a lot like Lorelai."

"Nah, one of the carpenters is gay. He's got a high-pitched voice." Nice save, Babette.

"I thought you said they were painters." Emily was too sharp for her own good. Time to fess up kids.

Babette would never live this one down. "Ah crap," she croaked.

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"Oh my god!" Lorelai jolted upright in a panic. "Did you hear that?"

Luke was visibly stunned. "Hear what?" He assumed Lorelai was up to her usual antics.

There was fear in her eyes. "I know that voice…that disapproving voice. That was my mother's voice."

Luke shook his head in disbelief. "Lorelai, you're imagining things."

"I don't know, Luke. A voice like Emily's is terrifyingly distinct."

"Lorelai, can we please drop the subject? It's a little weird talking about your mother in bed. I mean, the very fact that having sex with me makes you think of your mother in the first place is a little discouraging."

Lorelai laughed. "No, I think that having sex with you is so mind-blowingly good that it causes hallucinations.

Luke smirked, "It was that good, huh?"

"You should write a book," Lorelai winked.

Luke moved closer to the woman he loved, wrapping his arms snuggly around her perfect frame. The downy comforter cloaked their naked bodies. Their feet were entangled in the mess of sheets. Comfort had a new definition.

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"Honestly, ladies. I simply don't understand what all the secrets are about. Emily walked abruptly towards the door of room seven "I'm about to open this door," Emily informed the others. "I'm not going to be greeted by some sort of drug ring on the other side, am I?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Sookie assured.

"Yeah, this sure as hell ain't a crack shack, Emily," Babette unnecessarily added.

"Very well then." Emily wiggled the knob. It wasn't cooperating. She gave a frustrated sigh. "I think the door's jammed."

The three women stood there, indifferent.

"And suddenly I'm talking to a brick wall. For god sakes, don't just stand there, help me with this damn door! I've had maids that reacted faster than this," Emily fittingly insulted her subordinates.

Patty apologized on behalf of her comrades. "Sorry Emily. Of course we'll help you."

They formed a line in front of the door and prepared to push.

"Ready. Aim. Push!" Babette instructed.

With a huff and a puff, a creak and a crack, the door violently flew open…

T.B.C…

I know, that was mean. Stay tuned.


	15. Floor Show

Hello once again. Thanks for the lovely reviews. This may be the funniest of all chapters, so get those diapers ready.

Imagine if you will, the worst possible situation you've ever been in…then times it by a million. And the story continues…

The momentum of the door jolted the ladies into room seven. The sex room; the romper room. As the women regained their balance, their jaws dropped simultaneously.

Luke and Lorelai whipped their heads out of the sheets at such a pace, they nearly collided in the process. Their eyes surveyed the room. They spotted the trespassers. Their jaws dropped simultaneously.

"Lorelai!" Emily shouted in disgust.

"Mom!" Lorelai responded, her expression painted with shock and humiliation.

"Luke!" Sookie shrieked excitedly.

Patty raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Luke," she teased. The top half of the diner man's body was wonderfully exposed. Patty seriously didn't need a visual to complement that dirty mind of hers.

Babette noticed Patty's wandering eyes. "Luke," her voice elevated. So too her libido. She nudged her gal pal and smiled naughtily.

Luke rolled his eyes in utter embarrassment. He'd be going down in history for this.

"Lorelai!" Sookie shrieked again with fervor. She seemed to be the only person in the room genuinely excited about the union of the year. Well, excited in a 'happy for the couple' sense. Not the other kind of excited. Babette and Miss Patty had that taken care of.

"Sookie?" Lorelai queried aloud. Frankly, she'd forgotten that Sookie was even in the room. Or Patty, or Babette. All she could see was Emily.

The crowd fell silent for an unreasonable amount of time. Processing…

Emily was the first to speak, in full sentences to boot. "Oh, oh god. Dear god. Tell me I'm seeing things. I'm not seeing this. This isn't happening." Surprisingly she wasn't taking it well.

Luke could see that Lorelai needed his help in this mess. The fact that she was mildly convulsing may have tipped him off. "Emily, please. We're all adults here. Let's handle this like adults." He wrapped his arm protectively around Lorelai.

"Get your hands off of her! You get your hands off my daughter, you…filthy brute!" Emily was irate.

That condescending tone, inherent with all things Emily Gilmore, seemed to snap Lorelai from her trance. "Mom! How you dare speak to Luke that way!" She looked apologetically at her bedmate.

Emily sighed heavily, "Could you at least get dressed so we can have a civilized conversation?"

"I'd love to," Lorelai stated sarcastically. She was more than eager to comply with the getting dressed part. The problem was, her clothes were slightly out of reach. Too bad the sheets hiding her natural state weren't in fashion yet.

Noticing Lorelai's predicament, Babette daintily kicked a lacy black garment in her direction. "Yours, I'm assuming," she unnecessarily added.

Lorelai nodded unenthusiastically. Luke raised the comforter, shielding Lorelai from the curious onlookers. She roughly slid into the undergarment. Underwear – check. Still needed: bra, tank top and jeans.

Lucky for Luke, his boxers were resting on the floor next to his side of the bed. He managed to grab the item discreetly.

"I knew he was a boxers guy," Babette proudly announced.

Patty appeared forlorn. "I always hoped it was briefs."

So much for discreet.

The angelic Sookie picked up the remaining clothes and distributed them to their rightful owners.

"Party pooper," Babette jabbed.

"Take your time, Luke. No need to rush." Patty was practically petitioning for a floorshow.

Sookie came around to Lorelai's side of the bed, offering her assistance.

"Thanks, Sookie. I owe you one." Lorelai was tremendously relieved. Clothes never felt so good.

"You owe me details," Sookie whispered to her friend.

Lorelai smiled knowingly.

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It had taken the grounds crew exactly thirty minutes to come to the conclusion that Lorelai Gilmore was not an outdoors person, and therefore, could not be found outside. So, as promised, they returned to the meeting place and awaited news from the others.

Kirk was infuriated with the lack of progress on the 'key situation.' "What the hell is the matter with you people? There is a man locked up here!" He was undoubtedly referring to Taylor, locked away in room two. Lest we forget.

Taylor was blissfully unaware of the commotion outside his door. He had long since plugged his ears to drown out the sound of Kirk. His sanity was thanking him for it.

Jackson tried his best to calm, "Take it easy there, Kirk. I'm sure the women have faired better than us."

Kirk shouted, "Then why aren't they here yet? Why are they doing this to us!" 'Us' referring of course to him and Taylor. There was something unnatural about that.

"Nobody is doing anything to anybody. But, as much as it pains me to say it, you make a good point, Kirk. They should be back by now." Gypsy agreed.

Morey immediately jumped to his wife's defense, "My Babette runs a tight ship. Something unforeseen must have happened."

"Let's just wait a couple more minutes. I'm sure they'll turn up." Lulu innocently suggested.

"No! No more waiting!" Kirk stormed away from his fellow citizens and headed for the staircase.

Lulu chased after her lover. "Kirk, slow down! I'm coming with you."

Jackson sighed. Keeping tabs on people was such a burden. "Alright, let's all go upstairs then." Magnanimous was his middle name.

And off they went.

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The sound of them bounding up the stairs was almost deafening.

"Oh god. Don't tell me." Lorelai cringed.

They headed straight for the open door and nearly fell over each other as Kirk, the leader of the pack, stopped without warning.

They silently took in the scene before them. Gypsy smiled, Jackson blushed, Morey chuckled, Lulu sighed and Kirk…Well, Kirk passed out.

Immediately, the others attended to Kirk.

Luke took the opportunity to dress himself. With his shirt in place, He began to rise from the bed. He was wearing only boxers on his better half.

Patty delightedly professed under her breath, "Oh, this is good. This is really good." The rumor mills would be at full steam tomorrow.

Suddenly Kirk's lack of consciousness was old news. Luke became the main attraction.

Even Emily had to stop herself from stealing a peak.

Once on the floor, Luke cleared his throat and shrugged into his jeans. He felt like a piece of meat. And every woman in the room was yearning to devour him six ways from Sunday. That might have been an overstatement.

"I'm never getting undressed again," He sternly informed Lorelai.

She fought off laughter. "Well, that'll make for some interesting improvisation."

The wheels in Miss Patty's head were at full rotation.

Room seven was brimming with activity. It was a nightmare of epic proportions.

TBC…


	16. Sex Party

Hey, hey! Thanks for the wonderful reviews, folks. Now, sit back and relax in front of your computers. I'm taking this story to new heights!

And away we go...

Kirk had regained consciousness. He parked himself in the chair nearest the door, Lulu by his side. Luke and Lorelai were sitting, fully clothed atop the mussed bed. Everyone else fought for a space along the wall. It felt like ages since someone last spoke.

Leave it to Emily to fix that. "Who on earth are all these people? Do you know these people, Lorelai?"

"Yes, mom. They're friends and neighbors. They came here today to help me get the Inn ready for business. It was a lovely gesture," she smiled warmly at the worker-beavers.

Emily scoffed, "These invalids couldn't help you change a light bulb,"

"Hey! Mother says I'm not supposed to touch electrical devices," Kirk retorted.

"Relax yourself, Kirk. We don't need another episode," Gypsy warned.

Emily interrupted sternly, "I want to talk to my daughter…in private!" She was getting a headache from exposure to the unsophisticated simpletons.

It was best not to toy with Emily Gilmore. Immediately a kafuffle of nervous townsfolk fought their way through the door. Three of them got stuck in the process. It was a slapstick comedy in the making. The others quickly pulled their trapped figures to freedom. Soon the stairs thudded with heavy feet.

Luke was the only non-Gilmore that remained. Oh, and Kirk.

Emily glowered at the frail man.

"What? I…I'm weak. My blood pressure is low." Well, Kirk had just passed out. It was only fair to allow him sufficient recovery time.

"Kirk," Lorelai implored.

He was defiant to the end. "I wont go. You can't make me."

"Kirk, if you're not out of here in two seconds, your blood pressure will be the least of your troubles," Luke threatened.

That was the ticket. "I'm gone." Kirk scuttled out of the room. No signs of trauma were evident. Once again, Lulu had left him to fend for himself. They would need to have a talk about that later.

Emily returned her attention to her daughter and her companion. "I don't suppose it's any use asking you to leave?" she questioned Luke.

"I'm not going anywhere unless Lorelai wants me to." He was a good man.

Lorelai smiled, squeezing Luke's hand in appreciation. "Whatever you have to say to me, mom, you can say to Luke also. We're together now." It thrilled her to say it.

"Oh, I see," Emily said. "And here I was under the impression that this was just another one of your meaningless sex-romps." She was indeed impenitent.

Lorelai rolled her eyes exasperatedly, "Is there a purpose to your being here, besides the insults?"

"You think I'm insulting _you_, Lorelai? How do you think I felt, having been stood up, yet again by my unsympathetic daughter?"

"Stood up?"

"Yes. Stood up," she emphasized. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Having sex is much more important than keeping an appointment with your mother," she replied sardonically.

Lorelai's eyes widened, "Oh. Oh god, mom. I'm so sorry. I forgot all about our meeting today."

Emily continued, "And being your mother, I was of course concerned. I thought perhaps you might have run into some sort of problem. Instead I find out that you were having an adulterated sex party.

"Mom, please. Stop saying sex. It's very unnerving," Lorelai pleaded. Luke felt like a fly on the wall.

"Well, what would you have me say, Lorelai? Intercourse? Fornication? Public defilement? Carpet-banging?"

Lorelai nearly choked, "What? What? Did you just say carpet-banging?"

Emily nodded, "I'm an educated woman."

"You're a frightening woman." Luke had to agree with that.

"The least you could do is apologize, Lorelai," Emily justified.

Lorelai sighed, defeated, "All right. Since you obviously missed my earlier apology, deliberately I'm sure," she added under her breath. "Here goes…I'm very sorry, mom. I truly am. I promise I'll make it up to you."

"That's good of you to say," Emily smiled a fraction. "You can start by finding me the quickest exit out of this place."

"Done. Anything else?" Lorelai offered.

"You might want to fix this door. Especially if you expect to continue these sexual escapades of yours." Emily's dirty mouth could rival Miss Patty's.

Lorelai stood up and grabbed her mother by the arm, without missing a beat. "Follow me," She swiftly guided her out of the room and down the staircase, past the perplexed townsfolk and outside within seconds. "How was that for quick?"

Emily fought to catch her breath, "For god sakes, I didn't ask you to set a world record." Nothing was ever good enough.

Lorelai pushed Emily towards her car. "Well, thanks for coming, mom. Hope you had a good time. Give my best to dad." She opened the driver's door.

Emily huffed, "Your father will have a coronary when I tell him about this burlesque house of yours." She slid into the vehicle.

Lorelai forced a smiled, "Good-bye, mom." She closed the door before Emily could get a word in edgewise.

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Luke sat alone, waiting for Lorelai's return. He slowly began to unwind in the peaceful silence that had become room seven.

Unfortunately, Kirk's annoying figure appeared in the doorway, blasting away any hope of relaxation. He had a crazed and determined look on his face. "I need the key. Just give me the key!" he cried indignantly.

"What key?" Luke asked, curious.

"For room two. Taylor's counting on me. You gotta let me have it!"

"Kirk, I don't have any keys," Luke assured.

Lorelai returned upstairs. She quickened her pace upon hearing Kirk's voice.

"What's going on?" she asked Kirk as she entered the room.

"Where are the keys?" he screeched.

"The keys?" Lorelai wondered. "Um, they're downstairs in the foyer. Why do you ask?"

Kirk was beside himself, "What! Have they been there the whole time?"

"The whole time," she nodded.

"Oh my god! That's horrible. That's horrible!" He bolted out of the room, a look of pure terror on his face.

"What was that all about?" Lorelai asked.

"I guess Taylor's still locked up. And Kirk's taking it pretty hard," Luke shrugged off laughter.

She grinned, "There's something weird going on there, if you ask me."

Luke nodded.

Lorelai sighed, "Luke, I want to apologize to you on behalf of my mother. I'm so sorry. And I don't blame you one bit if you want to put a stop to this whole thing right now."

Luke looked deep into her eyes, "I love you, Lorelai. That's something that can't be stopped."

He walked closer to her and hugged her with all his strength. They stood like that for several minutes.

A voice from below shook them. "I'll have your heads for this! Your heads!" shouted Taylor. He was free. Party's over, folks.

TBC…


	17. Bee Stings

Good day friends. Had it not been for the kidney stone I passed two days ago, this chapter would have been available much sooner for your viewing pleasure. But enough about that, it's time once more to trespass into Stars Hollow and see what's doing. Allow me to be your guide, but be especially careful…Taylor is in an excessively perturbed mood. Now, get ready for the show…

Luke and Lorelai separated, taking a step back from each other. She looked playfully at him, "So, you love me, huh?"

Luke grinned, "It looks that way."

"Knew it," she said smugly.

Luke began, "I guess we should get downstairs before…"

Lorelai interrupted, "Before they start thinking that we're going for another round up here?"

"Exactly," he agreed.

"Would that be so bad?" she winked.

He shook his head, "Lorelai, I don't think I want to chance it. We've already had your mother walk in on us …and practically the entire town. I can hardly imagine who'll be next."

Lorelai jumped at the opportunity to fill in the blank, "Oh, I bet it'll be Paris Hilton. She's so kinky," she giggled.

"Let's just go downstairs, crazy lady," Luke reasoned, "Maybe Paris will be signing autographs," he added in good humor.

"Anything you say, lover boy," she teased.

He groaned.

She walked closer to him and pressed her mouth to his ear. "In case you were wondering…I love you too."

Luke felt ten years younger.

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Kirk was entirely relieved upon releasing dear Taylor from the evil clutches of room two.

Taylor clenched his jaw, seeking out the very man responsible for his imprisonment, a man by the name of Morey. "Just wait till I get my hands on you. Locking me up like I'm some kind of animal. I have rights, you know! The very idea…"

"Oh, put a cork in it, Taylor!" Gypsy barked.

"If he hadn't done it, there's a long line of us who would've," Babette defended her hubby.

"I don't know," started Jackson, "I think I would have locked him up in the stables instead." My, how persnickety.

There were a few stray giggles.

"Hell, I would have locked him up in room seven," Patty winked at the others.

Babette laughed, "Yeah, he'd never be the same again."

Lucky for him, Taylor was unaware of the happenings in room seven. "I'm an island," he sighed, disenchanted.

Luke and Lorelai made their way down the staircase as nonchalantly as possible. Still, every eye in the place was on them.

Taylor didn't hesitate laying down his two cents, "Lorelai, I am shocked and appalled at the lack of management you have displayed today. Allowing a man of my distinction to suffer unduly for hours on end. It is nothing short of a disgrace. His vanity shone through like a sore thumb.

"Buzz of, Taylor," Luke warned.

"At the very least, Morey should receive sufficient punishment for committing such a malicious deed," the Selectman continued.

Lorelai exhaled deeply, "Taylor, if you insist, we can discuss this later. There are much more important things to address at the moment…like food," she looked to Sookie then.

"And that's another thing. I haven't eaten a bite since breakfast. But I'm sure my caloric intake doesn't interest any of you," Taylor was on a roll.

"Shut-up, Taylor!" Everyone except Kirk replied in unison.

Instead, Kirk came to the rescue of his beloved Taylor, "Listen! This man was held captive for hours, without food, without human contact. He broke the chains of oppression. He lived to see another day. This man isn't our enemy…he is our hero!" Apparently a few hours in a locked room was a feat comparable to Nelson Mandela's, in Kirk's opinion that is.

Everyone, including Taylor rolled their eyes.

Sookie gulped nervously, "Guys, try not to overreact, but I don't think there are any leftovers from lunch. Everyone was pretty hungry. All that hard work," she giggled fretfully.

"Oh, Sookie. You're not serious." Lorelai couldn't hide her disappointment. The sonic booms her stomach was making weren't helping the matter.

"Don't worry, hon. I'll get right into that kitchen and whip us up an early dinner. We can celebrate tonight, and test out that new dining room of ours." Sookie was entirely excited. She raced immediately to her prep area.

"Lord knows, room seven has been thoroughly tested," Patty goaded.

"If you ask me, I think room two could use a little more testing," Gypsy hinted. Increased exposure to Taylor was bad for her skin.

Luke heaved a frustrated sigh, "How about we all get back to work. Sookie will let us know when dinner's ready. There's still plenty to do around here." Now, more than ever he was committed to this Inn. He was committed to Lorelai.

No one could disagree with Luke's reasoning.

Babette grabbed Jackson by the wrist, leading him outside. "Get your ass in gear, Belleville. We're losing our daylight."

"If anyone needs me, I'll be with the wood," Kirk stated with pride. His involvement in D-Day was positively paramount.

"Lulu and I still have some painting to do," Morey supplied. "I have the perfect album to snap us from this late afternoon lull," he contentedly added. He gave himself accreditation over all things music. Lulu grabbed the paint cans and they went to work.

"Hey, Luke," Gypsy began, "I guess that door upstairs needs fixing."

"I can handle it," Luke assured her.

Gypsy panicked, "Please, Luke. Don't make me go back out there with Kirk. I'll do anything!"

He smiled. "Who's the better electrician?"

She huffed, "Y…you are." Gypsy knew how to play the game.

Luke started for the staircase. "And who's the better carpenter?"

Gypsy rolled her eyes, "That would be you." She followed him up the stairs.

"Better plumber?"

Their voices echoed from the second floor.

"For god sakes," she groaned. "You are!"

"Mechanic?"

"Don't you dare say mechanic! You slimy little…"

And their voices disappeared.

Lorelai and Patty laughed at the competitive struggle going on upstairs. Taylor however had a worried look on his face. He'd separated Luke and Gypsy once before. This partnership had collapse written all over it.

"I suppose I'll just keep an eye on things…before all hell breaks loose. Someone around here ought to." Taylor Doose, the acme of sanctimonious.

"Don't be so self-righteous, Taylor. Things were in fine order while you were out of commission," Patty reminded the man of his incarceration.

"Lucky for you, Patty. You couldn't wait to take over my throne," Taylor hissed.

"You wretched ingrate," she bit.

"You power-hungry pest," he bit harder.

"O-okay…I'm going to go see if Sookie needs any help," Lorelai simply couldn't handle those two. She wouldn't dare try.

So, the worker bees had returned to their stations. There were stinging accusations and comebacks flying through the air. Nothing out of the ordinary. Dinner was sure to be a treat. Only an hour to go.

TBC…


	18. Let's Get Personal

Thanks, everyone for the fabulous reviews. I'm thinking there will be another two chapters after this - make it a nice, even twenty. Now, how's about we get back to the story…

The Dragonfly Inn was abuzz with activity. Pots and pans were clanging and banging in the kitchen. The walls and baseboards were transforming with every brushstroke. Doors were being fixed; flowers were being planted. Wood was being split (very lovingly) and friendships were being mended. Well…maybe not quite mended. The point is, things were happening and the Inn was looking very much like an Inn – ready for business.

Lorelai took a moment to revel in the atmosphere that surrounded her. This was it. Her dream was finally coming true. She felt completely indebted to these people. These wonderful, generous, (slightly annoying,) but completely devoted, people. Friends.

Never in her life had she felt so lucky.

She turned on her heel and re-entered the kitchen. "Oh, Sookie, it smells incredible."

"Thanks, hon. It'll be ready before you know it." Sookie had a very determined look. She concentrated heavily on the task at hand, displaying her mastery. There hadn't been any culinary accidents in a while. Perhaps the on-call ambulance was unwarranted. This was going to be a dinner to rival any.

Lorelai smiled proudly, "I can't believe it, you know, how everything is coming together. This is our new Inn, Sookie. The Dragonfly Inn."

Sookie sighed merrily, "Our Inn."

"Our Inn," Lorelai repeated, equally content.

"And speaking of _our_ Inn," Sookie began, "It seems as though someone took it upon herself to christen this place."

Lorelai flushed slightly. "Why, my dear child, whatever do you mean?" she feigned innocence, in a southern accent.

"C'mon, Lorelai! I'm desperate. You know how much these details mean to me."

"Yes. And that concerns me," Lorelai stated melodramatically.

Sookie huffed impatiently, "Don't make me turn off this stove!" she warned.

"All right, all right," she paused briefly, "Luke and I professed our love to each other. Then he asked for my hand in marriage. We're to be married a week from Sunday. He wants seven children, but he's willing to negotiate." Lorelai fought hard to keep a straight face.

Sookie shook her head, "You never stop, do you? I've waited years for the two of you to finally get your heads straight and see what's right in front of you. For god sakes, give me some details. How was he? And who initiated what? Oh, how does he look naked? Oh, oh, I bet he talks during sex…does he talk during sex?" She invested far too much into this.

Lorelai couldn't help but chuckle. "Whoa, whoa, one question at a time. First of all, no, Luke doesn't talk during sex…"

Sookie began, "He doe…"

Lorelai continued, "He grunts," she smirked.

Sookie's coloration could be compared to that of a tomato. But the smile on her face was beyond huge. She broke into a fit of giggles.

"And," Lorelai pressed on, despite her friend's gasps for air, "he looks great naked. I took pictures."

Sookie stopped giggling. "You did?"

Lorelai shook her head, laughing, "No. We had a portrait done instead."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Please, focus on the main event, Lorelai. Dinner's almost ready." I suppose this wasn't dinner-appropriate conversation.

"Right, ok. Well, it was lunchtime, and Luke and I were just finishing up in room seven…with the door. Finishing up with the door installation," she clarified. "And low and behold, the damn thing wouldn't open. We were locked in. So, Luke gets some sort of sign from God, that this was fate and it was now or never. Long story short…he put the moves on me."

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Sookie was beside herself.

"And it was good…really good, actually. Good, as in looking forward to the sequel kind of good. The man has talent."

Sookie had no words. "Oh my god!" Except for those three.

"We haven't really had a chance to talk about things yet. There were a few too many interruptions. But you know all about that, don't you?" Lorelai accused the cook.

Sookie shrugged, "It wasn't my idea, Lorelai. I swear."

"God, the look on my mother's face is permanently emblazoned in my mind. Poor Luke. One sexual rendezvous with me and he's got a spread in GQ magazine."

"I'm subscribing," Sookie giggled some more.

Lorelai laughed.

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Luke and Gypsy were a few twists and turns away from a repaired door. Their cooperation during this process was commendable.

"So, you're a boxers guy, huh?" Gypsy quipped. Apparently she had grown a little too comfortable in Luke's company.

His screwdriver fell to the floor. "What?"

"Nothing," she hesitated before adding, "As long as you're not going commando."

He sharply secured, "I'm not."

"Cause that's where I draw the line," she was unrelenting.

"Can we just work, please?"

She nodded. A few minutes passed and she was back at it again, "Man, it must chafe like hell."

Luke groaned.

"Boxers on the other hand…it looks like they breathe."

"Lorelai!" Luke shouted. He quickly started for the staircase. Serenity now.

"Hey, what about the door?" Gypsy called in vain to the disappearing figure.

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Luke came thundering into the kitchen, causing both Sookie and Lorelai to jump. "I can't work with her anymore. I won't work with her anymore. I'm done!" he roared.

Lorelai grabbed Luke by the shoulder and escorted him outside the back door. They stopped near a tree, leaning against it for support.

"She's driving me crazy. This whole damn town…I can't take it anymore." Luke was particularly aggravated.

Lorelai placed her hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at her. "What's the matter, hon? You're not having any regrets about today, are you?" There was more significance in that statement than she realized.

Luke sighed, "No. Never. Just, people. They get on my nerves."

"I know," she kissed his cheek softly.

He immediately relaxed. "What about you? Any regrets?" he cautiously asked Lorelai.

"No regrets," she confidently assured him. "What's the opposite of regret?"

He thought a moment, "I don't know." Where was Rory when you needed her? Oh yeah, she's not in this story.

"Well, that's what I'm feeling," she smiled.

He smiled back, "Me too."

They hugged tenderly. Lorelai felt something strange…a vibration. Luke felt it too. Was it love? Not quite.

Lorelai backed away from Luke and retrieved her cell phone. Without looking at the number displayed, she pressed the device to her ear, "Might be Tom," she justified to Luke. "Hello?" she answered.

"What in God's name are you thinking, Lorelai? Having an affair with that filthy, uncouth, roughest man I have ever met. It's enough to send your father and I to an early grave." Emily Gilmore strikes again.

Lorelai shook her head in disdain. "Mom, this is none of your business. I seriously don't have time for this."

"Then make time! I won't have my only daughter traipsing all over town, fastened to that abomination of a man."

"I guess you haven't heard about the matching tattoos yet?"

Lorelai could feel the heat of her mother's fuming breaths through the phone. "People will talk, Lorelai. And do you know what they will say? They'll say, 'There goes another failure.' My god, Lorelai, to be associated with that Neanderthal. I just don't understand you." The disapproving tone of Emily's voice was enough to warrant the migraine of the century.

And then, the greatest sound of all…"DINNER!" Sookie shouted.

"Ah, there is a God," Lorelai praised aloud. "Mom, I'm gonna have to cut this invaluable conversation short. Just write down all the other adjectives that are steaming in that…steam-filled head of yours, and I promise I'll never read them."

"Lorelai, I'm not finished…"

"Good-bye, mom." Click.

Luke grabbed Lorelai by the arm, ushering her inside. Bring on the food.

TBC…


	19. Call Me Crazy

Howdy, folks! We're now approaching the climax (dirty) of the story…only two chapters to go. I thought I'd finish on a nice even twenty. Thanks for the wonderful rieviews, as always. Now, without further ado, let's get back to the story. This may be the zaniest chapter yet…

Luke and Lorelai were the last to arrive in the dining room. The tables were pushed together in a long line stretching the width of the room. Over half of the space was taken up by food. Sookie had created a Southern-style feast consisting of: fried chicken and grits, biscuits and gravy, sweet potato pie, turnip, bread pudding, black-eyed peas, collard greens and casseroles of every variety, (it helps to say it in a Southern accent.) It was a dinner made for eclectic tastes, and it smelled divine.

As Sookie placed the last heaping dish on the table, the crowd could restrain themselves no longer. They dove into the food at a fanatical pace. Portion control was overrated.

Kirk was the first to sit, shoving in behemoth mouthfuls of chow as he relaxed into his chair. Lulu sat next to him, a worried look on her face. "Kirk, slow down," she pleaded. "You're going to make yourself sick."

"Nuh-uh," he barely managed to squeeze out of his jam-packed pie hole. It was like dealing with a two-year-old.

Babette, Morey, Gypsy and Jackson took their seats opposite Kirk and Lulu. Next, Patty settled at the head of the table. Taylor huffed. If only he hadn't grabbed that third drumstick. He somberly sat to the right of Lulu. Luke, Lorelai and Sookie joined the table moments later. Sookie sat next to Jackson. Luke and Lorelai were forced to snug up to Kirk. Once everyone was settled, the consumption commenced.

"Um, should we say grace?" Jackson wondered aloud.

Gypsy sounded uninterested, "What? Are you Catholic or something?"

"Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub…Let's eat!" Lorelai replied merrily. God would be proud.

"Amen," Gypsy returned. The others followed suit.

There were a few minutes of food-related silence. Kirk's plate was scraped clean. Leave it him for conversation. "So, were you guys having sex earlier?" he probed Luke and Lorelai.

Both parties in question unceremoniously dropped their forks.

Babette chuckled, "Didn't your mother ever tell ya about the birds and the bees, Kirk?"

"I've had sex," Kirk assured. Lulu nodded for verification.

Gypsy groaned, "There goes my appetite."

Kirk pressed on, "Lorelai looks different. Like Lulu does after we…"

"She's glowing," Patty interrupted, winking at Lorelai.

Sookie giggled, Babette cackled.

Lorelai shook her head in utter embarrassment. Luke started staring at his plate a long time ago.

"What in heavens name is going on here?" Taylor shouted in consternation. Many things had happened during his 'alone time' in room two.

Patty beamed with delight. She had forgotten that Taylor was ignorant as to the proceedings in room seven. "Well, Luke and Lorelai were locked upstairs," she began.

"Morey, you are officially banned from D-Day!" Taylor boomed.

Babette jumped in, "It wasn't him, ya big ox!"

The Selectman scoffed, "A likely story. Once a traitor, always a traitor."

"Will you let me finish?" Patty implored. "Anyway, as I was saying…Luke and Lorelai were locked in room seven. And during that time they, shall we say, 'discovered' parts of each other's anatomy that were previously off limits." How poetic.

Luke and Lorelai were stunned into silence. It was like watching a live documentary. _The Luke and Lorelai story, tonight on Stars Hollow TV._

"I've had enough of your highfalutin mumbo jumbo, Patty. Get to the point!" Taylor needed it to spelled out for him.

Gypsy made things easier for him, "They had sex."

Taylor was quiet a moment. "Sex?" He wasn't sure he'd heard correct.

"Sex," Morey affirmed.

"Sex?" Taylor repeated. The word was practically inexistent in his vocabulary. He needed some time to process.

"S.E.X.!" Gypsy literally spelled it out for the man.

"You're telling me, that Luke and Lorelai had sex, today, in this building, under my supervision?" Taylor had a rebellion on his hands.

"And Luke wears boxers." Gypsy gratuitously added.

Luke cringed, "Someone, please…drop an anvil on my head." Lorelai squeezed his hand for comfort.

Kirk focused on Gypsy, "How do you know what Luke wears?" He was infinitely curious…and jealous.

"Because he gave us a floorshow while you were passed out like an idiot," Gypsy snidely remarked.

"Why did I pass out?" Kirk could now add amnesia to his list of idiosyncrasies.

"Because you're crazy," Gypsy had all the answers tonight.

"What?" Kirk feigned innocence.

The mechanic broke out her internal thesaurus, "Wacko, nuts, cuckoo."

"Multifaceted abnormal," Morey cleverly added.

"Insane in the membrane," Lorelai sang. She liked games. Hell, any distraction would do.

Sookie giddily joined in the entertainment. "Bizarre!" she squealed.

"Brainsick!" Babette jabbed.

"Half-baked!" Jackson hollered.

"Ooh, good one, honey," Sookie commended her hubby.

"Screwball!" Gypsy was at it again.

Taylor was horrified at this disorder before him. "ENOUGH!" he roared. "There will be no more name-calling or fighting of the physical or verbal nature. Is that understood?"

"What other kind of fight is there?" Lorelai considered.

Kirk immediately rose from the table, grabbing a spoonful of sweet potato pie from Luke's plate, "FOOD FIGHT!" he exclaimed. He leaned the spoon back and prepared for release.

Jackson contemplated, "But a food fight is still physical in nature." Suddenly his ear was decorated with sweet potato pie filling.

Sookie led the giggling brigade.

Jackson spoke gravely, "You're dead, Kirk." He piled his spoon high with bread pudding. "Bombs away," he announced, firing the food straight at Kirk.

It hit him square between the eyes.

As Kirk was recovering, Lulu's spoon found a nice bit of turnip to cling to. She aimed for Jackson, but instead hit Sookie in the chin. The chef giggled some more.

Lorelai grinned slyly, "I'll take care of her for ya, Sook." She picked up a wad of biscuits and gravy, leaned over Kirk and flattened it against Lulu's face. It was a nice look.

"People! People!" Taylor was desperate to return order to the table. He felt casserole trickling down his cheek. This was war.

Spoons were discarded and hands were utilized instead. Cuisine was being catapulted right, left and center. What hullabaloo it was.

One drop of gravy on Taylor's vest was all it took for the madness to cease. "My vest! My vest!" he growled. "Who did this?" he demanded.

Everyone quickly took their seats, looks of panic plastered to their faces. Gypsy coughed.

"Aha, Gypsy!" Taylor accused. "I should have known!"

She sighed, "Crap." She needed to think fast. "It wasn't me, it was Kirk!"

"Liar!" Kirk screamed.

Taylor threatened Gypsy, "Don't you dare try to pull a fast one on me. I can smell a deviant from a mile away."

Gypsy's tongue was poised for retaliation, "The only thing you need to smell is your rotten taste in clothing."

Kirk screamed in anticipation of Taylor's response.

"That's it, Gypsy! You are officially banned from D-Day!" The Selectman heatedly declared.

"Not this again," Patty grumbled in frustration.

Sookie was determined to put a stop to all the bickering, "So, who's ready for dessert?"

A hush fell over the room. Sugar, icing and syrupy-coated sweets would be perfect for round two. Well done, Sookie.

TBC…Only one chapter to go!


	20. Twilight

Well, folks, the moment has finally arrived. The last chapter of this whimsical story is upon us. It's been a long journey, and I couldn't have made it this far without all of you. Now, on with the show...

The walls of the Inn's dining room were now decorated with shades of brown, yellow and green. Luckily, they were childproof walls, (Kirk proof, too) and could therefore withstand the food fight of the century. Sookie was in the kitchen, adding final touches to her dessert platters, the others sat restlessly in the mess they'd created.

"I'm hungry," Lorelai whined.

"That's because you threw most of your food at Kirk," Luke reasoned.

She laughed, recalling the memory, "Ah, yes. But so worth it."

Kirk huffed, "You throw like a girl," he accused Lorelai.

"You scream like a girl," Lorelai retorted.

Kirk blushed, "I can't help it. My larynx is abnormally tight."

There were giggles all around.

Sookie proudly entered the dining room, her hands heavy with trays of tantalizing desserts. "Dig in, everybody!" the chef encouraged. She was an epicurean to the core.

The tablemates filled their plates with pastries galore. There were happy faces all around.

"Oh, Sook, I'm practically drooling over here," Lorelai cooed.

Kirk was literally drooling. Lulu tended to the puerile man. With a mouth half-full of cookies and cake, Kirk returned to a previous conversation, "I still can't believe you gave a floorshow," he directed at Luke.

Luke sighed in frustration, "I did _not_ give a floorshow."

"He did_ so_…and he wears boxers," Gyspy stated for the third time that day.

Luke groaned.

"Why do I always miss the good stuff?" Kirk protested.

"I'm sure if you ask Luke nicely, he'll do it again." Gypsy instructed Kirk.

Luke groaned louder. Lorelai quietly hummed _Private Dancer_.

"I tell ya, that bit of Luke we saw was somethin' else," Babette added her two cents.

Morey's eyebrows rose to unusual heights.

Patty eagerly agreed with her bosom buddy, "Lukeliciousness at its finest."

"What?" Luke and Lorelai simultaneously queried.

Patty and Babette giggled naughtily, "Oh, its just a playful term. I expect to see it in Webster's within a few months time," the dance teacher declared.

"Yeah," Babette agreed, "right after Bootylicious."

Luke was about ready to get up from the table, when Taylor interrupted things. "People! I would like to have the floor now! People!"

"I think Taylor wants to give us a floorshow," Lorelai revealed.

Babette chuckled, "Can anyone break a twenty?"

Taylor's face took on a crimson hue. "Defiance!" he shouted.

"I've got two fives and a ten," Sookie offered.

"Mutiny!" the Selectman hissed.

"I've got fifty bucks that says Taylor's too chicken to go through with it," Gypsy chimed in. The mechanic was obviously rolling in the dough. Under-stock and Overcharge was her company slogan.

"Outright insubordination!" Taylor pounded his fists against the table. That seemed to be the ticket. Silence ensued. Taylor took a deep breath and composed himself, "What I was going to say…before I was so uncouthly interrupted, is that this Town Event has, for the most part, been successful."

There were some suspicious rumblings.

Taylor pressed on, "The walls have been painted, the doors are installed, the flowers have been planted and the electrical work is complete. Of course, the hospitality needs work, but other than that, I wont hesitate to say that I'm impr…" he indeed hesitated, then continued, "mostly satisfied with your efforts." It was a very didactic speech.

"Great speech, Taylor. Now, how about that floorshow?" Gypsy nudged. Well, she had money riding on this.

Taylor sighed indignantly, "Didn't I ban you from D-Day?"

Lorelai spoke up then, "Hey, guys? I'd like to say a few words, too, if I may."

Patty smiled, "Of course, dear. Go right ahead."

"Ok. I just want to thank you all. This day has meant so much to me. You know, I was making myself sick, worrying about preparations for the Inn. I thought that it was never going to happen…this Inn, our dream." She looked to Sookie and her eyes began to well up. Luke rubbed her arm; his eyes encouraged her to continue. "And then you all showed up. You pitched in and whipped this place into shape. I just don't know what to say…I'm overwhelmed."

There were teary eyes on every face, even Taylor's.

"Aw, Lorelai, honey. We'd do it again in a heartbeat. We love ya, and that's unconditional," Babette assured.

Kirk nodded in agreement, "I'd even be willing to continue monitoring the wood."

Lorelai grinned, "That's very chivalrous of you, Kirk."

It was starting to get dark outside. Things would need to wrap-up soon.

"Alright, who's on dish-duty?" Sookie surveyed the townies.

"I think we can figure this out in an orderly fashion, Sookie," Taylor stated.

"I swear to God, if you put us in pairs again, I'm outta here!" Gypsy threatened the man with the vest.

"Don't let the door hit you on your way out," Taylor spewed. He and Gypsy were getting friendlier by the minute.

"That's enough, you two!" Patty hollered. "I think the men should take dish-duty. And Kirk, you clean the dining room. After all, the food fight was your idea."

"Big whoop!" Kirk sulked.

Patty ignored his peevishness, "Now, skeddadle, all of you!"

"Yes, master," Jackson quipped under his breath. Feisty, Mr. Belleville.

The men did as they were told. The women moved into the foyer of the building. Three quarters of an hour passed. It was time to check on things.

"How's everything going in here?" Sookie carefully asked the recruits.

"We're almost done," Jackson answered.

The men had a system; two washers and two dryers. Luke traded jobs with Kirk. It was too cramped in the kitchen for his taste. The fact that Taylor's hand had brushed against his own under the soapsuds, helped to influence the switch.

Gypsy took in the scene before her. "Idiots," she mumbled.

"Who're you calling an idiot?" Jackson returned.

"All of you. The dishwasher is up and running now."

"What?" The four men bellowed in unison.

The mechanic carried on, "But obviously none of you dimwits had the brains to check."

The rest of the women couldn't hold in their laughter. The men rolled their eyes and finished with their task. At last, the drain was pulled and the remaining dishes were dried and put away. The men grumbled as they made their way past the amused expressions of the women and back into the dining area. Luke and Lorelai were there to greet them.

Taylor jumped right into conversation and condemnation, "Lorelai, I think we'd better call it a day. We wouldn't want to breech the Town Event agreement now, would we?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Taylor," Luke questioned.

"According to the Town Acts Bylaw, once an event has surpassed the twelve-hour mark, it is subject to re-examination. This is liabilities territory, people. Don't even get me started on twilight insurance. The costs can be astronomical."

Everyone groaned.

"Maybe Taylor has a point, guys," Lorelai began, "It is getting pretty late."

Kirk griped, "Mother's probably worried sick about me."

People started moving towards the exit.

"Thanks again, everyone. We're planning on having a test-run in about a week," Lorelai was pleased to report, "I do hope you'll join us."

"Absolutely, sugar," Babette promised.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Patty was ecstatic. Maybe she'd get to sneak another peak at Luke.

The others nodded in agreement. There were parting hugs and handshakes, then finally, they stepped out into the night. It was a beautiful, warm night; a night full of hope.

Lorelai stood in the empty space that was now her paradise. Luke pulled her tight into his body, breathing into her hair.

"So, is it everything you hoped for?" he whispered.

Lorelai leaned back, smiling warmly at the man she loved, "And then some."

They kissed.

FIN -

_Final Note:_ I want to send out a giant THANK YOU to all you wonderful readers out there! Your loyalty and support have made this process most enjoyable for me! The cast of my story would like to thank you as well, Kirk especially. He made t-shirts for everyone. Go check your mailboxes ;)

Cheers.


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